Loopholes
by TsubakiiHime
Summary: Contracts aren't just for businesses and politicians. Better read that fine print carefully or it might come back to bite you in the ass.
1. Disclaimer Page

-))*((- Disclaimer page -))*((-

This is a work of fiction using characters from JK Rowling's series and is not intended as use for monetary purposes.

This story contains graphic language and situations not suitable for those under 18. The nature of this story is humor/ comedy romance with serious undertones.

This story contains one or more of the following spoilers: [incest play/insinuations, futanari, graphic swearing, drug use, minor character deaths]

Please do not continue if you have issues with the above warnings.

-))*((- Chapter List -))*((-

Chapter One- Chance Encounter

Chapter Two- Demands

Chapter Three- Lost

Chapter Four- Answers

Chapter Five- Blame Game

Chapter Six- Loopholes

Interlude- Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

Chapter Seven- Shattered

Chapter Eight- Emotions

Chapter Nine- Amends

Chapter Ten- Alberta Ice Queen

Epilogue- Happy Endings


	2. Chapter One- Chance Encounter

A/N: directly transferred from the original copy at ArchiveofourOwn under my pen name TsubakiiHime. This story disregards a few pieces of canon, like ages.. Names.. Ect. Harry and Hermione are late 20's while Severus, Bella, and the rest of the 'adultier' adults are late 40's. Pairs of this story are Snarry/Bellamione with implied Blackcest between Bella and Narcissa. (And Lucius, apparently.) I'd love feedback if you feel so generous. Enjoy, and thanks for reading.

-))*((-

 _Loopholes_

 _Chapter One- Chance Encounter_

-))*((-

Dating for a single woman with a kinky sex fetish was hard these days.

As if it weren't hard enough being a woman of magical capabilities trapped in the Muggle world because your name was currently in the top percent of every Ministry of Magic's 'Public Bulletin' list.

But no, it didn't stop there. Add in a pinch of 'Face-and-Body Altering spells', a dash of 'Obliviate-The-Morning-After-And-Get-The-Fuck-Outta-Town', mix with equal parts peach vodka and cherry stems by the volumes, stir until thick and bake at 350 degrees for ten years and- viola! In no time at all you've got yourself a real nice slice of life's best shitpie to enjoy- if you were wanting a chance at love, that is.

If you were looking for a quick fuck instead, well, you're pretty much set for the rest of your life, aren't you sweet cheeks?

Dim lights flicked overhead as the music serenading this drab of a restaurant changed tempo. The brunette sitting alone in the farthest corner toyed with the salted rim of her second margarita. It damn sure wasn't vodka and tasted like watered down Mexican piss, but you know what they say. When in Rome, or some bullshit like that.

Her waitress, a nice young woman about the same age, came by with a third drink.

"This one's on the house, love," she said with an apologetic smile. So it was obvious, then? That her "date" had been a goddamn sellout?

Fucking. Awesome.

"Oh, how lovely. My thanks to whoever decided," she politely returned the smile.

"Oh, it's actually from someone at the bar," flustered, the waitress turned and motioned to a woman sitting in the what had to be the darkest place in the entire house. She had to squint to get a good look. Leather jacket and shades- inside? Hmm, sketchy as fuck.

"Aha, well in any case," she turned her eyes back to the waitress but not before she caught a smirk from the woman, "You can go ahead and bring the check."

The waitress nodded and hurried off. Her ass bounced nicely along in those black slacks. And let's be real, that white shirt was doing little to contain the curve of her chest. Overall she were a solid 8, and that's including an extra point for her kindness. If only she were a bit older...

"Tried the Jalapeño Poppers? Got a good kick to 'em, if you like it spicy."

The same woman from before situated herself in the empty seat. She smelled like every bit of dark velvet and cigarette smoke. In better light she could see this woman was quite a bit older than herself, with straight black hair that covered half of her face and pooled around her neck on both sides. Underneath that open leather she could see a teal colored shirt that exposed some great fucking cleavage. She kept her shades on, which was still sketchy, but damn; there was no denying it. This woman was hot as fuck.

That smirk told her she had been caught oogling like a horny schoolgirl. And well, yeah, she had the goods, but there was something very familiar about this mysterious presence, very unsettling. And damn it, no matter how attractive, the younger broad was not about to be outdone.

"Excuse me, may I help you?"

"Maybe, maybe not," the woman shrugged. "But I can damn sure help you."

"I doubt that," She rummaged for her overcoat and keys. "I was just about to leave, you see."

"Oh? But you haven't even touched the drink I sent you," the woman slid her finger against the salt and gave it a lick.

"Tequila isn't really my thing," she slid the drink across the table. "But I do thank you for the hospitality."

"Such a shame that a pretty young thing like yourself would end up alone in a place like this," the woman grabbed her wrist before she had the chance to stand. With her other hand she gently cupped the younger's chin and slid her thumb across her cheek. "I couldn't stand watching that look of disappointment taint such luscious lips." She ran her thumb across her bottom lip as she spoke.

Sweet Jesus. She _loved_ being stroked.

"O-Oh, really?" She suddenly felt hot all over.

"Naturally. Any idiot who would dare waste such an opportunity doesn't deserve the time of day," now sure she had the younger's attention, the woman pulled a strand of hair from where it fell and tucked it safely behind her ear. She leaned closer, her coal black eyes peered over the top of her glasses and shimmered in the light.

"Of course, if you were _mine_ , you wouldn't have that problem."

Oh, fuck.

Tequila may not have been her taste, but this woman clearly was. And she could totally take a chance, right? Right?! That's what she came here for originally, right?! Damn straight, she could. She totally could. It seemed logical enough. Runway clear for landing.

She was three seconds from asking 'where the hell do I sign up' when her mind kicked in and said 'woah, girl. Hold thine horses.' Runway _not_ clear for landing. The intent may have been the same, but her original date, Sascha, was a woman she knew online for some time now and was totally comfortable with. Yep, big difference.

"And just _who_ are you, anyway?" She couldn't help the way her voice sounded all breathy. She imagined the look on her face must have been pretty dopey. But still, better safe than sorry.

Or laid, apparently. Her ovaries were crying.

"My, how you've changed, Granger," the woman sat back, smile still splayed on her lips. "Or were you always this fussy on the first date?"

Hermione looked like she had just seen a ghost.

She made a move for her wand but the older woman kept her still.

"Wouldn't want to make a scene, would we?" She nodded to the direction of the bar. Hermione's eyes followed and saw a group of waiters in hushed whispers and looking their way. Upon seeing Hermione, her own waitress popped up and hurried to her table.

"Here's that check you asked for, sorry it took so long," she nervously glanced between the two, "I wasn't sure if, maybe, you would stay and order something else."

"No, that's fine," Hermione snatched her hand from her uninvited guest. "I was just leaving."

"Ah, okay. Well, whenever you're ready just bring it to the front," the young woman bowed and made her exit.

"Who the hell are you?" Hermione rasped in an angry whisper once the waitress was well out of earshot. Not just anyone could have seen through her illusion spell so easily. "How do you know who I am?"

Her smile widened. She slid her hand up Hermione's arm, where the illusion shattered to her touch and revealed the word forever etched into her fine porcelain skin, 'mudblood'. The woman slowly ran her thumb down each letter.

"Still so naive."

That touch sent chills down Hermione's spine. She could count on one hand the number of people who knew about that mark, and none of them were a welcoming sight.

"Tell me who you are," She demanded once more.

The woman rolled up her right sleeve to reveal a skull and snake mark that now looked like a well aged tattoo.

"You should never forget the eyes of a woman who brands you," Bellatrix Lestrange peered with a smirk over the rim of her shades.

"Bellatrix," Hermione whispered after having all the color drain from her face. "What the hell are you doing here? What business do you have with me?"

"Lots, apparently," Bella shrugged. "I was supposed to meet a woman named Laina, although I call her my _kitten_ , for some fun tonight."

" _You're_ Sascha?!" Bella didn't think it was possible, but yep, she went whiter than before. Hermione groaned. "Oh, no. Ooohh, no no no."

"Mmmhmm," Bella raised a curious eyebrow.

"This is bad, this is- Do you know how long I had to work up the nerve for this?" Hermione seethed, "Three hours. I stood in the mirror dressing myself for _three hours_!"

"Really? Three hours to get into that?" Bella replied with a cocky grin and skimmed her eyes along Hermione's dress, "It'll take me three minutes to get you out of it."

Hermione looked like she was gobsmacked in the face. Her ovaries cried a little harder.

"You can't be serious."

Bella stuck her finger over the top of her straw, lifted it, and licked the tip.

"Try me," she muttered in a dark seductive tone.

"You're serious? You're s _eriously_ suggesting that we-"

"I can make it worth your while, _kitten_ ," Bella leaned against her wrist with the air of great enjoyment. She stroked one finger down Hermione's cheek.

"No. Don't call me that," the younger immediately swatted her hand away.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Bella loved a good tease, but it was even better knowing what buttons to push from the start. "Mommy's little _kitten_ suddenly feeling shy?"

Hermione gasped, and sweet hallelujah her ovaries were screaming with the chorus of God's angels. You bet your sweet ass she wanted it.

"Stop," she panted, "I-I can't, not now-"

"Oh, I think you can."

"No, you're- Oh, oh God," Hermione hid her face in her palms, "You _know_. You know _everything_."

"That's right, Granger," Bella licked her lips. Embarrassment didn't mean a damn thing when she knew exactly what she liked and had no qualms with it. "I know every last detail."

"Oh, God. You'll ruin me," Hermione was close to sobbing. Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Look, I'll be straight with you, Granger," the older finally removed her shades to stare Hermione face to face, "I think this could be fun, you and me. But I'm not into forcing you to be my little kitten if you don't want to be," she paused at the look of shock that was thrown her way.

"So the choice is up to you. I'll be waiting outside. If you're not out in ten minutes then I'm leaving for good. I won't contact you again and I'll forget I ever saw you here," Hermione's jaw dropped with a rebuttal but Bella quickly cut her off.

"But, if you want a little taste," she dragged her thumb across her bottom lip once more and felt it quiver, "I can promise you'll have a good time with me. Does that sound like a fair deal?"

Hermione couldn't speak. Partly because her ovaries had just suicide bombed themselves to death and her heart had jumped to save what little was left of them. Bella winked. She stood from the booth, sent a friendly wave goodbye to the waiters huddled in the corner, and left the restaurant.

Nine minutes later, five of which consisted of Hermione staring at the empty seat trying to process exactly what just happened and the other four spent fumbling for cash to pay the bill and then arguing that she didn't need change back, Hermione exited through the front doors. She found Bella casually leaning against a pole a few squares down smoking a cigarette while checking the time on her phone screen. She grinned when she looked up and saw Hermione shyly making her way over.

"I must be out of my mind," she heard her mumble when she caught up.

"That's a good girl," Bella smirked and held out a hand. Hermione hesitated, but accepted it all the same. Bella took one last drag before she snuffed the flame and Apparated them from the empty street.

The next instant Hermione felt herself slammed hard against a wall and her dress torn from the back zipper. Bella impatiently ripped it over her head the next second and had her bra undone with ease.

"Wait a second, Bella-"

Bella shoved her face into the wall.

"One thing, kitten. My bedroom, my rules," she fisted her hair and turned her whimpering ass around. Drawing out the anticipation, she licked and nibbled along the crevice of her neck and purred, "Don't call me by my name."

She then pulled Hermione's legs around her waist and shoved two fingers down the middle of her cunt. She was squirting like a goddamn waterfall, just how Bella liked it. She roughly shoved them in as deep as she could.

"Isn't there- unnnggg- supposed to be some foreplay involved?" Back shoved along the wall, Hermione gripped as much as she could to hold herself and tossed an arm around Bella's shoulder, fingers lost in her hair, for extra support.

"We've _had_ foreplay," Bella grunted, " _Seven_ months of it."

Bella pushed from where they stood and seconds later shoved Hermione down on cool satin sheets. Eyes now adjusted to the room, Hermione only had a minute to survey Bella's naked body before her legs were being hauled down the bed by strong arms and her cunt sucked by an all too eager mouth. Bella had the taste of fresh young pussy on her lips and showed no signs of releasing it any time soon.

"Oh, God, Bella-"

Bella nicked her clit as punishment. Their eyes met briefly before Hermione threw her head back and corrected herself.

"Oh, _mommy_!"

Her voice rose an octave when Bella hit the right spot. Hermione stuffed both fists in her hair and held her there.

"Pull it harder," the older commanded. Hermione rolled her eyes in half attitude but also half because God damn Bella's tongue should be fucking _illegal._

Nevertheless and much to Bella's delight, Hermione tightened the reigns. She showed her appreciation by growling, not like those fake ass moans you hear in a two-dollar porno flick, but like an actual animalistic _roar_. Holy fuck, it had Hermione so hot. She had to wonder if she were part Animagus, or was she just naturally this wild? Honestly she could believe either one.

"Come here, you," Bella crawled up her body, forced her legs wide, and covered her pussy with her own. Clit to clit, she began roughly pounding down on top of Hermione. Hermione dug her nails into her ass while the older rode her like a fucking cowgirl.

"You like being mommy's pet, don't you?" She growled again and set Hermione's skin on fire. "Say it."

"Yes, yes I like it," Hermione cried out.

"You like what?" Bella pinched and twisted a nipple.

"I like being mommy's good little pet!"

The headboard was smacking against the wall. In fact, she was pretty sure the entire room was shaking.

"Good girl," Bella cooed. She swiped her thumb across her bottom lip, "Show mommy that tongue."

Hermione dutifully opened her mouth wide and stuck her tongue out. Bella swiped her thumb across it twice.

"Suck," Bella commanded and Hermione obeyed.

"Yes, that's a good kitty," Bella's tongue hissed like a snake. "Show mommy how you'll suck her pussy like the obedient little girl you are."

Bella roughly pulled her up and switched their positions in an instant.

Hermione found herself being shoved headfirst into sloppy wet pussy. God, Bella smelled like sex and tasted even better. She kept her pushed tight to it, too; nose and all. Hermione resisted being slightly suffocated, but moaned all the same.

"If you want to breathe, make mommy come."

If she could have spoken she would've said 'yes ma'am'. Instead, she bit down on her clit. Bella shouted.

"Yes! Harder!"

Fucking figures, that sadistic little witch. Hermione bit down as hard as she could and sucked to hell and back. She felt more confident by the second as Bella was not a quiet lover.

After nearly screaming, Bella forcefully pulled Hermione up by her hair, shoved her back, and crawled on her face.

"Fuck me," she moaned out and immediately bucked her hips down to meet that sweet little tongue. Hermione held her by the ass, fingers firmly pulled her down on it, as she was willing to give Bella all the pleasure she wanted. She was rewarded when Bella leaned back and started rubbing her clit like a madwoman.

"Mommy wants you to come, kitten."

Oh, Bella had nothing to worry about. Just those words alone could make her loose it. But, as it were, the older had different plans for how she wanted to take it. Bella maneuvered them into a 69 position and bit Hermione's thigh before diving back in for seconds. Hermione screamed.

Mmm, she knew it would be well worth it. Knees quivering with her own release, Bella bucked back against her open mouth and let Hermione ride out the first of many orgasms to come.

-))*((-

The sound of crickets woke Hermione sometime later that night. Bella's slumbering face was propped on an arm while the other hung from the side of the bed. Hermione realized she had fallen asleep on the only pillow on the bed. Somehow the notion that Bella hadn't stolen it and let her keep it almost seemed… Sweet.

Almost.

Their clothes were scattered everywhere. As quickly and quietly as she could, Hermione fumbled through the darkness for her dress and shoes. She found her wand, thank fuck for that bit of relief. Funny, she guessed Bella really did just want a quick fuck and nothing more from her after all.

Which, she had to say, she was pretty damn lucky to have survived. Even now her vagina felt like it would fall off any second.

"Obliviate," she whispered once she was dressed and ready to leave, minus the fact that the goddamn zipper to her dress was stuck. A single strand of silver appeared and strung itself from Bella's mind to the tip of Hermione's wand.

Deciding she'd fancy a look at this place to discover if it was really Bella's abode or if she had taken them to some empty shack in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, Hermione snuck from the room and down the small hallway where a flight of stairs met her.

Oh, fancy.

Her illuminated wand tip led the way and her first thought was how the place seemed devoid of magic at all. The pictures were stationary, the paint and wallpaper was modern, and the rooms seemed, well, normal. Come to think of it, she hadn't remembered seeing Bella with a wand at all.

Huh.

Yep, she concluded as she reached the living room downstairs and saw a flat screen T.V. with surround sound speakers, it was a completely normal one- bedroom Muggle apartment, much too big for one person to own alone.

This was like some Pulp Fiction kind of shit, man. It creeped her out how snug the place felt, even more so when she considered the thought of Bellatrix Lestrange might a _ctually_ live in a place like this.

Well, this was swell and all, but it was definitely time to hit the ol' dusty trail. This experience was fun, but she'd never come back here ever again.

Like, ever.

She was just about to leave when Bella's voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Leaving so soon?"

Not possible, was her first thought. She should have been sleep, and even if she woke she shouldn't have remembered anything from the past five hours.

Hermione jumped when she felt hands smooth up her back, then down to her jammed zipper. Bella gave it a good pull, which unstuck the track, and slowly closed them together. She placed a warm kiss on her shoulder, then drug her teeth carefully across the flesh.

"Come back any time you want, kitten."

Hermione fled like a rabbit from a fox.


	3. Chapter Two- Demands

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter 2- Demands_

-))*((-

It was precisely seven days later that Hermione took her up on that offer.

I mean, aside from her mind constantly nagging that there was no way _Bellatrix fucking Lestrange_ lived in the middle of a normal, Muggle neighborhood, in a normal, Muggle house, with _normal, Muggle_ furniture; she needed to know how the fuck this witch knew how to counter all of her spells. Not only was it a goddamn miracle on par with Jesus himself, but it also put her at a dangerous risk. If Bellatrix was that powerful, what would stop her from turning tail and capturing her first?

So she invited herself right in by Apparition, thank you very much, and pulled her wand on a very… Busy? Bellatrix? Wearing an apron and kneading bread dough like Betty Crocker?

Um, what?

"Well well well, kitten," Bella called without looking up. Her hands were powdered with flour and really getting in there, pounding that dough good. She roughed it up on the counter one last time before she started banging it out. "Ready for round five?"

Memories of her whimpering for a break in between round three and four involuntarily surfaced through her mind and Hermione momentarily blushed. Lip pulled between her teeth, she tightened the grip on her wand and pulled her screeching ovaries back in place.

Focus, dammit.

"Not why I'm here this time, Bellatrix."

Bella finally glanced from behind her shoulder, not at all feeling threatened by the wand pointed at her back. She took her time eye fucking the delectable way those jeans hugged her hips before her gaze met Hermione's.

"Pity," she simply replied.

"Tell me how you saw through my spell," Hermione demanded, her wand angled like that of a thug holding a gun, "Nobody, not even Aurors, should be able to break the spell without me undoing it."

Bella had the dough rolled flat and cut in decent sized triangles by the time Hermione stopped talking. Completely ignoring her noisy intruder, she smiled to herself and started rolling each triangle sideways so they came out in crescent shaped rolls. Turning to the pan waiting on top of the stove she placed each one on a prepared liner, dabbed them with a little bit of egg wash, popped them in the oven, and set the timer for ten minutes.

" _You shouldn't have been able to see me,_ " Hermione insisted after it was clear Bella wasn't going to answer, "And my tracer is always jammed, so you shouldn't be able to sense my magic either."

Humming filled the kitchen as Bella turned and leaned against the door of the oven. She just stood there with a stupid grin and watched Hermione get all worked up. If she knew her kitchen would have suddenly become a dinner theater, she would have charged the kid admission.

But, even Bella could see the eyes of a frightened doe ready to attack hidden beneath that glare.

"Being a fugitive is tough work, isn't it?" It wasn't meant to taunt.

"Don't try to change the subject," Hermione was not in the mood to be tested, "And don't lump me in the same category as you."

The older shrugged. "I'm just saying, Granger. Perhaps our situations aren't all that different."

"I don't care," Hermione took a step closer, wand still ready, "I came here for answers, not to solve riddles and ponder life's mysteries with _you_."

The smile faded but Bella remained quiet. Once again she got a good look at this Hermione Granger standing before her, threatening her with a death stick when she herself was unarmed- in her own home no less. Either way, the situation had potential to go sour if she weren't careful, but Bella didn't really feel like being careful. Careful was boring. Granger, however…

"Then how do you explain the memory charm?" Hermione inched closer and closer, "I saw it work with my own eyes. I saw them gather and disappear."

"Did you?" Bella raised an eyebrow. "Things may not always appear as they seem."

"I don't want riddles, I want answers!"

Sparks of green shot straight at Bella, who screamed out of surprise as her body withered and demented itself by Hermione's will. A few moments later and she was laughing like she had taken a shot of helium. It had been damn near twelve years since she was last hit with a Cruciatus but she was pretty sure it was supposed to hurt. At least a little bit.

"I'm sorry, were you trying to curse me or tickle me into submission?"

Hermione sent another jet of green flying across the kitchen. Bella made a huge show of fakely dropping to the floor in pain.

"'Oh, no, I'm melting'," She mocked, "Harder, kitten, for fucks sake. Put your back into it."

"Crucio! Crucio, Crucio, Crucio!"

Once again Bella screamed, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her body shook and trembled. Then the timer on her oven buzzed.

"Ahhhh-! Oh, my rolls are done!" She stood and peered through the tiny glass window at the risen bread that was nicely crusting at the tops. Her butt bounced from side to side like a kid eagerly waiting for cookies to come out.

"Your… Rolls?"

A flabbergasted Hermione watched as she opened the oven- mmm, let that freshly baked aroma fill your senses, don't fight it- and set the pan on the stove top. She turned the oven off and couldn't wait for them to cool to have one. Oh, but which one? They all looked so good. Bella picked one particular golden brown tribute from the center, plucked it with a spatula, and placed it on a blue plate to the side.

"Damn, that's hot," she hissed as her fingers had to barely touch the thing to break into it. But hot damn, it was worth it. Look at those layers! Those perfectly crumbly buttery layers! Oh God, the bread porn! She moaned from a perfect first bite. These things could raise the dead back to life just to get a taste.

"Um, what just happened?" Hermione stood there like a bump on a log watching Bella bounce up and down like a goddamn oompa loompa. Her arm finally plopped to her side with a 'thud'. "Did you break through my Cruciatus?"

"That's why we don't use dark magic on dark magic users, kitten," Bella mumbled. She turned and walked to the table carrying the plate now stacked full of steamy buns. "Want one?" She offered the other half to the one she first broke.

"Are you going to tell me anything I want to know?" Hermione looked between the plate and Bella with an exasperated sigh. What the fuck was this, Martha Stewart?

"I will, if you try one," Bella leaned on her arms over the table, her butt just a swayin'.

Hermione spent a good thirty seconds contemplating the value of her life.

"Jesus, kitten, they're just rolls," Bella nudged the plate closer, "They won't kill you."

Now that she thought about it, she was sorta hungry. It was hard to eat when you had a million and one anxieties knocking at your door. Oh, what the hell. Hermione took one. Alright, so far so good. No poison, her throat wasn't closing, her skin wasn't burning or rashy or boily. Nope, just a simple fucking dinner roll.

No, scratch that. This thing was fucking _heaven_ in a bun. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, warm all over and just-

"Mmf, oh, my God," Hermione looked surprised, "That's actually... Good."

"Isn't it, though?"

"No, like that is really good."

"Take another," Bella whispered in a seductive tone and held one up.

"I can't believe this," she moaned around a mouthful, "I can't believe I'm eating the best goddamn dinner roll I've ever had and it came from _Bellatrix fucking Lestrange's_ kitchen."

Bella raised an eyebrow. She held up a finger in the 'come hither' motion to feed her the last one. Hermione groaned.

"I hate you so much," the younger spoke as Bella made her actually lean down for the bite.

"You know what goes great with rolls?" The older gently stroked her finger down Hermione's cheek. "Sex. Just washes it all down."

"Nooo," Hermione whined.

"Oh yes," Bella purred while cupping her chin. "Remember round three? That thing I did with my tongue that had you mewling like a kitten?"

"I'm still sore from it," Hermione admitted, "But, seriously, Bella-"

"Ah ah, you know the drill," Bella spoke from her lips.

"You know, technically we aren't in the bedroom," Hermione smartly countered with a smirk.

The next instant she was being pushed back on those same satin sheets from earlier in the week. Huh, they were green. Like a dark shade of hunter green. Why didn't that surprise her?

"You were saying...?" Bella loomed from above, fingers already working the edge of Hermione's shirt up and over.

"God, I fucking hate you," Hermione pulled her down by the ass.

"Five minutes is all I need, kitten," Bella licked up her stomach with a dark grin, "You won't hate me then."

-))*((-

Late evenings on the eighth floor top office of the Ministry of Magic was a rare occurrence to find in peaceful arrays such as tonight. The sun had begun its descent into the clouds and had thus painted the sky in bright pastel hues of gold and pink, a phenomenon properly known as The Magic Hour; the time when all seems just right with the world and you feel like there may be some Higher Power at play to weave such an intricate message in the form of sunsets and shimmers.

Harry stood admiring the view from his office window when he was interrupted by a knock on the heavy oak door.

"Come in," he called without breaking his view.

"Minister, Severus Snape has requested an audience with you," a feminine voice called from behind.

Harry pursed his lips and swirled his glass- a tall Long Island iced tea. This should be good.

Well, no, probably not. Not good at all. Probably more like eating a bucket full of nuts and bolts for breakfast. Really tough and gritty, may make your teeth fall out, and half way through you start bleeding and wondering whose fucking idea was this bullshit, anyway? But you can't stop now, goddamn it, 'cos you're halfway fucking there; and then by the end you feel both proud and stupid as shit for eating a bowl full of metal and now you have no goddamn teeth and you wonder who's bright idea possessed you to do it in the first place? Like, did you ask for this? No you didn't, but here you are, making the best of it and somehow its your fault.

It's _always_ your fault.

Yep. Perfect analogy to summarize all of his interactions with Snape so far.

"Send him in."

The woman bowed and was shortly followed by a tall man in long black robes. Always with the robes, Jesus Christ. The man was like a genderbent nun. His hair was longer than the last time he'd seen him, Harry surmised, as he checked his profile from the reflected glass.

"Ah, Mister Potter. Enjoying the scenery from your new throne, I see?"

Harry laughed and turned around to greet his salty visitor.

"It's good to see you too, Sir. What brings you by my office on this fine evening?"

Snape's brow twitched at the use of a title long past. At face value it may have seemed like respect, but Severus knew better. The years had not been kind to Potter, not by a long shot. He'd grown even more arrogant and pompous than his past teenaged years parading around as the "Town Hero". Well, Snape had had enough. It was time someone knocked him down a peg or two. And who would be a better fit for the job than himself?

He pulled out a brown envelope from his robes. Oh, he couldn't wait to wipe that smirk right off those pretentious lips.

"I believe this will interest you."

He set the envelope on the glass conference table and slid it down to the head where Harry stood. Harry grabbed the envelope and carefully unwrapped the back string. Out slid several large moving photographs. Harry gasped.

The nerve of that slimy git.

"How in the hell did you get these?" Harry growled as he thumbed through the rest of the photos.

"I have my methods," Snape replied with a subtle curl of his lip. He folded his arms and watched as Harry made the connection.

Harry went white. Oh, yes. He knew _exactly_ what night these were from. The scene from a few months ago flashed by.

 _The night was still young; the lights flashed and music blared as Harry tossed back his third brewed lager from the bar. He sighed as his eyes scanned the crowds of happy couples dancing on the crowded floor. It was then that he heard a casual voice call from behind._

 _"Mind if I take this seat?"_

 _He turned to see the origin of that voice came from a strapping lad about his own age with sandy blonde hair and a handsome smile like a cloud puff settled along his rosy cheeks. There was snow in his hair that fell as he shrugged out of his cloak._

 _"No, of course," Harry offered._

 _The young man sat and ordered two shots of gin. Harry watched him from the corner of his eye. From what he could tell, there was absolutely no magical residue lingering around him, which meant he was just another ordinary Muggle like everyone else around him. Which was all the same, as Harry himself were currently disguised under a concealment charm. The last thing he wanted was a run with the paparazzi on a much needed night off._

 _"Tough day?" Harry asked after he finished his second shot._

 _"Putting it lightly," the man replied. "But it's nothing a few drinks can't fix."_

 _"That's the spirit," Harry gently pat the man on his back and called to the bartender, "Another round, on me please."_

 _"Coming right up."_

 _"You know, I don't usually share drinks with a stranger," the young man raised an eyebrow at Harry, "To be honest, I came here because I heard_ rumors _about the rooms in the back," he paused and took his third shot. "Do you know about them?"_

 _Harry hid his blush by tossing back his own drink._

 _"Yes, I know about them. Never tried it myself, though. Never had anyone to try with," He bit his bottom lip and hoped to hell he didn't look like a nervous wreck._

 _He could see the man eyeing him up and down with furrowed brows._

 _"I can't imagine why."_

 _Harry smiled._

 _"You know... If.. If you wanted..."_

 _The man gave him a peculiar glance._

 _"We could take a quick look, if you wanted," Harry finished. "Just to see what's back there," he quickly added in case he'd get shot down._

 _Once again the man looked him up and down, this time his gaze lingered down his back and especially long at his ass- guh. Harry felt the hairs on his neck rise._

 _"I think that's a_ wonderful _idea."_

"That was _you_?!" Harry snapped back in the present.

Severus raised his eyebrow. God fucking dammit, there it was! There was that fucking smirk! Son of a bitch!

"I can't believe this, I can't- how the fuck did you break my concealment?! And I- I checked! There were _no_ traces of magic around you at all!"

Snape rolled his eyes. " _Of course_ there were no traces, you bloody idiot. I cannot do magic, as you are well aware."

"Then how-"

Severus held a bottle up, "I believe you are familiar with Polyjuice."

"But it would have shown up!"

"I wonder," Snape folded his arms. "Now, in regards to those-"

"Incendio," Harry called. The pictures burst into flames and burned to a crisp. There, problem solved.

Or so he thought. The flames extinguished to reveal all pictures fully intact.

"-I wish for you to reconsider your decision-"

"Incendio! Reducto! Bombarda!"

"-On my personal request-"

"Goddamn it, _shred_ you motherfu-" he grunted and resorted to ripping by hand. The papers didn't budge.

"-About reinstating my wand to my rightful possession."

"I will do no such thing!" Harry shouted, throwing the pictures up in the air.

Images of Harry giving shy expressions and cries of passion, and others clearly showing his ass stuffed balls deep with cock- one where he's even holding his ass open and crying, "Harder! Fuck me harder!", which was a personal favorite of Snape's- floated between them.

"My decision stands."

"Then I will go public with these," Severus held up a second envelope. Harry groaned.

"Fuck me," he slinked in the chair.

"I believe I already have," Snape smirked. Who the hell was he kidding? He was enjoying the fuck out of this.

"I can't believe this," Harry hung his head in his hands, "I can't believe the best shag of my life was with _you_ of all people, you slimy fucking cuntwaffle."

Smug little bastard. Snape snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Potter, because _that's_ where your priorities should lie," He tucked the envelope back inside his robes.

"Hey! It's a pretty big deal for me, okay?!" Of course it was a big fucking deal! He had only been back to that bar _every other night_ looking for 'Steven', who he now knew as Severus Goddamn Snape. He fucking _dreamed_ of that body, of that cock penetrating him again over and over, of those hands touching, of that mouth sucking- just FUCK!

"Whatever," Snape held up a hand to stop his drabbling. He moved to take his exit.

"I'll be waiting for a favorable answer," he called before he disappeared out the office and left Harry to his thoughts.

Harry angrily kicked a chair. If asked why he would simply state that it looked too happy to be a fucking chair and he felt like it was mocking him.


	4. Chapter Three- Lost

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Three- Lost_

-))*((-

 _Beep. Beep_.

"What's the situation here?"

"Patient found at 1:21 am unresponsive in the 404 block of Cedar Spring's Cemetery-"

 _Beep. Beep_.

The sound of wheels scurrying over hard tiled floors could be heard echoing throughout the winding hallway. Hermione rolled her head. The flashing lights overhead blinded her fluttering eyes and blocked her from focusing.

"-Heart rate 120, 30 bpm-"

"Keep those pumps going!"

Beep. Beep.

There was something familiar about that voice barking commands from overhead. Something that she wasn't sure about. Something that told her she was in trouble. If only she could see, if only her eyeballs weren't just burned to a crisp with the vengeance of the seventh fucking sun for fucks sake. Where the hell was she, anyway? The last thing she remembered was visiting with her mom for her birthday….

"Blood pressure 155/91 and rising-"

"No no, you stay _put_."

Forceful hands shoved her down to the bed when Hermione tried to lift herself. Really, she was fine. No, no. Really. There was no need for any-

 _Beep..._  
 _... Beep..._  
 _... ... Beep..._

"Heart rate decreasing-"

"God dammit, kitten, stay with me," that demanding voice was now a growl. "Clear out! Clear out! I need space!"

"But ... I'm.. Fine..."

She lost consciousness around that point, when all the noises started sounding like a mesh of a record being played on slow motion rewind.

-))*((-

"Did you know my daughter?"

Hermione quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and turned around. There behind her stood a fragile looking woman with thin gray hair and thick rimmed glasses. She wore a thin black cloak topped with a lovely pink flower- printed silk scarf. In her hands she twirled a single red rose against a thick leather book. Hermione tensed, immediately recognizing the face smiling up at her.

"Yes," the summer air sweltered as the woman stepped closer. "She was an old teacher of mine."

"Oh, yes, my dear," the woman reached out a hand upon seeing Hermione's stained cheeks. She smelled like peppermint and cool sunsets with a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade. "Joanne always loved you kids. It was all she ever talked about."

Hermione gave the best attempt at a smile she could muster. "We loved her just as much," her voice cracked to a whisper. "She was always so kind to us."

"Ohhh, yes, indeed that was my daughter alright. Never met a stranger, I'll tell you," the woman laid the rose in the stone vase attached to the bottom slab of marble.

"Lovely flowers you've brought her, dear," she spoke after noticing the wreath of white lilies. "I appreciate the sentiment. I know she'll be happy to see some of her old students still think of her."

For a moment the two women stood in silent reflection. The red of the rose looked swell against the forest backdrop surrounding the field of headstones.

"Would you mind if I read a verse, dear?"

Hermione gave a nod. "Go right ahead."

She took the book, it's pages well worn, and thumbed to a bookmarked section. She cleared her throat.

"A reading from the Book of Psalm fourty-two, verses two through six:

 _'My soul thirsts for God, for the living Word._  
 _When can I go and meet with Him?_  
 _My tears have been my food day and night,_  
 _while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"_  
 _These things I remember as I pour out my soul:_  
 _how I used to go with the multitude,_  
 _leading the procession to the house of God,_  
 _with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.'_

 _'Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?_  
 _Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,_  
 _my Savior and my Grace._  
 _My soul is downcast within me;_  
 _therefore I will remember You_  
 _from the land of the Jordan,_  
 _to the heights of Hermon.'"_

She then bowed her head.

"Let us pray.

"Oh, Most Gracious Father. Grief and loss have left our souls anxious for your presence here. Help us to know that you are always walking alongside us, Oh Mighty God. Let us remember your faithfulness in times of need. As you were to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; be so to us. Thank you for hearing our prayers, our tears, our cries, and our fears. For all our hope we rest with you. We will praise you forever. Amen."

A calm, peaceful breeze shook the trees around them.

"You know, you resemble her a lot," the elder turned to Hermione after a moment of silence. She gave a humorous little chuckle at the notion. "Almost mistook you for a ghost myself. Silly, isn't it? How the musings of an old woman do talk."

"No," Hermione fought back the urge to cry, "It's not silly at all."

"Ah, well. All the same. I think I'll be going now, deary," she motioned up the hill to where a young lad casually leaned against the door of the old Cadillac parked on the road.

"One thing I've learned in my long life is that death meets us all at some point," once again she gripped Hermione's hands and gave a good shake. "Don't let yourself dwell on it for too long."

Hermione gave her a nod and a smile. She watched as the woman made her way up the hill to where the lad ushered her to the passenger side. With one final wave her way, Hermione watched with tears freely flowing as her grandmother left the cemetery.

She turned back to the stone and gave the epitaph one last glance.

 _Here lies Joanne Granger, a lost loving soul come to rest with God's angels_  
 _July 1954 – August 2003_

-))*((-

"Wakey, wakey, Granger," the sheet that enclosed Hermione's bed from the rest of the room was rudely yanked from corner to corner. Hermione groaned. "The land of the living desperately awaits your dramatic return."

Sighing impatiently, as this was a cruel place where CLEARLY nobody had never heard of _personal space_ , Hermione sat up and slowly rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Some type of annoying debris kept hitting her eye instead and she slid it open to see something obscenely orange tagged around her wrist. A hospital band? Really? Well, wasn't this just fucking awesome. Even with magic, these shitbags were like the second coming of Satan, if he were that annoying "roommate" you let crash on your sofa one night six months ago and now just won't fucking leave.

"Well well, kitten. It's been a few months," the face of Bellatrix Lestrange smirked down on a still- sleepy Hermione. "No messages, no texts. I was almost starting to worry about you."

Wait for it...  
... Wait for it...

There it was! There's that look of shock and outrage Bella was expecting! What a great day this was shaping up to be- and it wasn't even 8 am yet!

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hermione had to get a good eyeful of this bullshit before her brain could even try to comprehend the fact that Bellatrix fucking Lestrange was in a goddamn doctors uniform, in a goddamn Muggle hospital, staring her in the goddamn face.

No, never mind. She wasn't smiling, she was _smirking_ like the motherfucking Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Bella pointed to the embroidered name pin on her crisp white jacket that read out ' _Sascha Black_.'

"I think we might need to get you an EEG, make sure that brain of yours wasn't damaged. I could have swore I told you I worked here."

" _Obviously_ I forgot," Hermione sneered. Actually, she thought everything 'Sascha' had ever told her was a goddamn lie. Apparently not. "You know, after the whole 'My Date Is Actually The Antichrist' thing."

"You flatter me," Bella replied flatly without looking up from the paperwork she was scribbling on. Finally she turned her gaze to Hermione.

"In any case, I believe it would be _obvious_ that I wouldn't have to tell someone so o _bviously_ smart as yourself that you have no business passing out after dark in an empty graveyard."

Oooo, her little kitten could spit fire when provoked. Bella liked how much of a hard ass she was these days. It was a good look on her.

" _Where_ I spend my nights is _my_ business, thank you very much."

Ah, shit. Hermione heard the mistaken innuendo as soon as the words fell from her mouth. Bella was giving her _that_ look.

"Not like that," She quickly corrected. "That's not very professional, _Doctor._ "

"It may not be my business," Bella fixed her with a stern look over the rim of her reading glasses, "But after certain hours, it becomes the _State's_ business." She gave a subtle nod of head and Hermione followed where she was hinting. Outside her open door stood two police officers gathering notes. "You'll want to watch yourself, kitten."

"Ugh, fuck," Just what she needed, fucking cops monitoring her. "When can I leave?"

Bella disassembled and handed her the series of multi- layered and multicolored paperwork from her clipboard.

"You are being discharged as we speak."

Hermione couldn't help it. There was no amount of preparation that could have saved her from the look of pure confusion that spread across her face. Just, just no. Seriously? Hearing those words, in that tone, from Bellatrix fucking Lestrange? What the fuck kind of fanfiction crap was this?

Oh, God, she needed a drink. Vodka to the rescue. She was just about out the door to escape this shit show when Bella called her back.

"Ahem," she waited for Hermione to show her attitudinous eye roll of 'what now' to flash a wand hidden up her sleeves. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"My wa-" Hermione doubled back after the officers gave her a startled look and rasped, "How did you get my wand?"

"There is a reason why I decided to bugger off from the temperamental whims of the Ministry, unlike my sister," Bella stated. She waited for Hermione to take the grip before placing her thumb over the tip. A strand of gray smoke emitted from where she touched. She kept it there until the color turned white.

"What did you just do?" Hermione looked at her wand skeptically then turned her distrusting gaze towards Bella's.

"You left before I had the chance to do this last time," Bella shared a knowing smile upon watching the blush form on the younger's cheeks. Oh yes, round five had been exceptionally hot, but rounds six and seven were even better. "Wouldn't want the Ministry picking up on all those _Obliviates_ and _Unforgivables_ , would we?"

Hermione gave a frightening stare. Smoke now gone, she tried to yank the wand from Bella's grip but the older pulled it back like some ridiculous game of tug of war. Ugh, what the fuck now?! She just wanted to get to the nearest pub. Was that too hard to ask for?!

"Meet me later," she purred while tilting the younger's chin so their eyes met. Hermione searched long and hard trying to figure out that look, but all she could see was her own reflection because goddamn this shit was confusing as fuck. Why did she have to look so fucking sexy all the time?

Bella stroked her cheek with her thumb. Hermione was unaware how much she subconsciously leaned into that simple embrace.

"You know where."


	5. Chapter Four- Answers

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Four- Answers_

-))*((-

All was quiet in the top office of the Ministry of Magic. Receptionists typed away schedule after schedule, not a phone ringing in sight. Not a drop to be heard.

Harry sat in his office caressing his temples from the latest _Daily Prophet_ headline, _Scandal in the Ministry: The Boy Who Lived to Suck Cock- page 7_ , when it happened.

BOOM.

POPPAAPOP.

CRACK.

SPREEEE.

"What the fu-"

"POTTER!"

"Oh, shit."

The next instant the door was blasted open, not by magic, but by the sheer force of a thousand angry demons currently possessing one raging bull of a man.

Huh. No robes this time.

So the Polyjuiced body hadn't been modified by much, apparently? And if those lightly sculpted muscles truly belonged, Harry could only wonder about the goods _u_ _nder the hood_ , if you know what I mean. Mmf, he had to dig his nails in his arm to stop himself. He was supposed to be angry at this bastard.

Snape stomped in red faced and sweaty. Harry caught a glimpse of his secretary Mary Anne running like a chicken with its head cut off before the doors rattled the frame as they slammed shut. Snape held clutched in his fist a crumpled piece of parchment. The only visible words left were _"sorry to say- has been denied- any concerns- the Minister himself-"_ and the Ministry insignia at the bottom, which had what looked like knife stabs poked through.

"Severus, this is hardly professional."

Snape pointed his finger in his face. Like, literally. All Harry had to do was open his mouth and he could practically lick the damn thing.

"YOU. DONT. GET. TO SAY. THAT. TO ME."

Harry raised an eyebrow and lifted a hand in wonder to the _Prophet_ on his desk. "Uhh, yeah? I kinda do."

"I see now precisely the depths of how this power has gone to your head, Potter." Snape spat with great care to get as much spit on his face as he could. "You are no longer aware that you walk along a dangerous path."

"Oh, really?" Harry smirked. God damn he was trying to avoid a confrontation, he really was; but being provoked like this just turned him on even more. Instead of backing down, he moved so that their noses now touched. "Going to teach me a lesson in humility, _Professor_?"

Snape howled like a fucking tiger. He stuffed his fist in that mop of a head, wrung him, and shoved his lithe frame down hard on the desk. Using his own body as weight, he trapped Harry while he made easy work of unbuttoning and lowering his slacks to the knees.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The question was muffled by paperwork that the Minister accidentally sent scattering all over the floor.

Harry, for the most part, was putting on a good show for half- ass resisting. He tried- no no, really, he did- to push back and break the hold Snape had on him. But once he felt the tip of Snape's cock push between his legs, dripping precum on his thigh and being rubbed along the rim of his ass, all bets were fucking off.

"You would need to know _shame_ for that lesson, Potter," Snape hissed and pulled his neck back. "Allow me to teach you the value of _both_."

Without further warning, Snape pushed through the tight ring of his ass. Harry whimpered. Snape bunched his shirt up like reigns on a bull and began thrusting. Hard. So hard that the entire desk rocked with them.

Harry pushed back and met him with each stroke.

"Yes, please, teach me," Harry couldn't help it. God, that cock was so thick.

Voices could be heard drawing near but did that stop Snape from fucking Potter into a different dimension? You bet your granny's knickers it didn't.

"Harry?"

"So you've kept the weasel around like your calling dog, have you Potter?" Snape sneered and held him tight when Harry tried to move, "Just what would he say if he were to find you begging for your old professor's cock like a five dollar whore? Shall we find out?"

Harry stuffed his fist in his mouth to keep himself quiet. It didn't help that his own cock suddenly decided it _liked_ feeling dirty all exposed like this.

"I don't think anyone's up here, Weasley," another male voice called out.

Snape went stiff.

"Look at this place," Ron could be heard fixing the chairs, "Looks like a fuckin' tornado hit."

"Perceptive detective skills, as usual," Draco Malfoy replied. The door to Harry's office jiggled.

Snape moved in a flash. There was a small space near the back that was well hidden by tall garden plants, whatever reason Potter needed them around for. He snatched the boy up and drug him to that area, shoved him against the wall, and shoved his cock right back inside. He wasn't getting off that easily.

 _If you know what I mean_.

The office door swung open with a bang. Draco surveyed the hinges as he didn't think he'd pushed it that hard.

"What the fuck happened in here?" Ron asked the seemingly empty room. "Harry? You here, mate?"

Harry tried to adjust himself, but Snape had him by the thighs so it was difficult. He covered his mouth when Snape gave a small thrust to keep him in check. Couldn't use a bloody Muffliato or else they'd pick up on his magic trace and their cover would be blown.

"One move Potter and I'll shout."

The footsteps came closer and Jesus fuck, Harry was about to die. His cock felt so good but this was so bad, so very very bad. Snape caught sight of ginger alongside a fluff of platinum blonde.

"Shit, where'd that wanker run off to now?!" Ron huffed with extreme agitation. "Bloody bastard always disappears when you need him. And after all that trouble Mary said Snape caused, now they're both gone."

Harry was getting hella antsy. Not to mention Snape had grown bold and was now rocking inside him. He could feel his hole pulsing as the moment stretched on for what seemed like fucking eternity. He was not an exhibitionist, at least not consciously, but if Snape kept doing that to him they would have more than one _mess_ to explain.

"What's this?" Draco stopped to pick up the parchment that Snape dropped earlier.

"Dunno, looks like any of the other papers scattered all over the place, doesn't it?"

"No, this one's crumpled," Draco replied. "You know how much of a neat freak Potter is."

"Oh yeah," Ron squinted to tried and read the print. "Can't read it, mate."

"Like that, Potter, you dirty slut?" Snape barely hissed low enough for Harry to hear. Oh, he was very much aware of the death grip clamped around his member and underneath he could tell Potter's own length was begging for a touch. He slid a hand ever so slightly down to stroke that throbbing shaft and felt it tug in his grasp. Harry dug his nails into whatever skin of Snape he could reach.

After a long moment of trying to decipher the readable text, Draco finally folded the paper and stuck it in his pocket.

"Let's go, Weasel. We've got to find the Minister."

" _Weasley_ ," Ron corrected as they walked back to the exit.

"That's what I said," Draco squared his shoulders and walked past him.

Once the doors closed, Snape waited until their incessant arguing diminished to move. He pulled Harry from the wall, bent him slightly, and resumed his instinctual animalistic rutting.

"Oh- my- God," Harry finally ground out after being freed from his silence. "I need to come, Severus!"

"I know what you _n_ _eed_ , you impudent boy." Snape withdrew his cock and pulled Harry by the hair again, this time shoving him over the conference table. He needed a good damm fucking and that's what he would get. He raised his leg and positioned himself so that their cocks were rubbing each other.

"You feel that, Potter?"

Harry nodded, his tie stuffed in his mouth.

"And do you want it?"

He nodded again.

"Then beg for it like a good boy," Snape pulled the tie out from his mouth and wrapped the tail around his fist.

"Please," Harry was drooling. "Please make me come, I want to come!"

"You want to come?" Snape slowly slid his cock back inside. He slipped his thumb into Harry's mouth, to which Harry happily accepted the digit and began frantically sucking. "What will you give me in return?"

Harry's gaze immediately hardened. "I can't do what you've asked of me."

"You are the Minister, you can do _a_ _nything_ ," He gave a hard thrust on his emphasis.

"No, I can't," Harry sat on his elbows as Snape pulled him up by the tie. "I change the rule for you, I'd have to change the rule for everyone."

"So?" Snape raised an eyebrow.

"So?! So, I can't do that!"

"You _can_ ," the older insisted on another thrust, and another, "You just _r_ _efuse_ to do so."

Harry threw his head back. He covered his eyes with his arm.

"My god, you're fucking _impossible_ , Severus Snape."

"Revise Section 18 of the Reform Bill," He stroked him in time with his slow thrusting.

Harry grunted, really he had no words for this. Being used, abused, and punished for political purposes and he fucking loved every second of it. What the hell was wrong with him?!

"Your answer, Potter?" Snape ruffled his shirt up to expose his chest. He tweaked a nipple.

"You know I could have you imprisoned for attempting to blackmail me," Harry breathed. He hated being tethered like this, so close but still being denied what he truly wanted.

"Your answer?"

Harry lifted his head. His cheeks were lightly tinged. Any second now, any second and his orgasm would hit regardless of if he gave an answer or not.

But that wasn't how Harry wanted it.

"I'll think about it. I promise, Severus," Harry gave him a sincere look. Snape returned it with a skeptical one. Nevertheless, he lifted his other leg so that both were raised in the air and prepared to buck.

"Then come, you goddamn brat."

-))*((-

"How does this keep happening?" Hermione currently felt stupidly high. She may have been staring at the wall but her eyes were still seeing stars on cloud nine. Her head currently hung upside down off the edge of the bed and a palm rested on her forehead as she panted her way back to sanity.

"What part?" Bella smirked and took a nice long drag off her cigarette. She had a great view from where she sat at the headboard. Last time she noticed that Granger had a bit of insecurity in the daylight, however it seemed a few drinks could shake it right off.

"All of it," Hermione raised herself on her arms, and even that was a weak attempt at best. "You're not at all what I expected."

"Ah," Bella blew out a puff of smoke. She really couldn't blame her, not when she had a reputation that spoke for itself. "You mean I'm not the Sascha you imagined?"

"No," Hermione let her eyes rake over Bella's chest before she plopped back. She still didn't have the strength to really move that much. "Well, yes. But it's more than that. I felt like I had a real connection with Sascha. She was edgy, and sexy…"

"And I'm not?" Bella snorted. "I seem to remember you drooling well enough that night."

"You… Are," Hermione said as if she were still trying to deny it. "But I know you as feared Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange. And everything I know about Bellatrix says there's no way in hell we could ever have anything in common," she sat up again with a hesitant glance towards Bella. "Like, ever."

"Obviously we have _one_ thing in common," Bella spoke around the last puff before she snuffed the butt in the ashtray sitting on the side table. After a few seconds of silence she quietly replied, "Perhaps you don't know me as well as you thought, Granger."

Hermione was starting to think so. And it confused the fuck out of her.

But there was also something so enticing about figuring this woman out. Like a good mystery novel that throws in a twist at the last second.

Another moment passed between them and suddenly Bella chuckled. "Thank fuck you finally stopped trying to hex me."

Hermione immediately flushed. They'd had a total of five encounters to date, including this one. Most of which ended with Hermione trying- and failing- to hex Bella into oblivion.

"I'm sorry." Jesus Christ she just apologized to a goddamn Death Eater.

A fucking sexy, dominating, rough- sex specialist, kink goddess Death Eater who was currently staring at her like she was already hungry for the next course.

Hermione finally felt like moving after she realized how openly she had been laying. She turned herself and crawled to the head of the bed, confiscated the pillow between them, and used it as a prop for her elbows.

"Don't apologize for that pathetic excuse of a curse, no offense," Bella put her hands to rest behind her head. This view was much better. Granger had an ass you could bounce a dime off of and it'd come right back to you. "Actually, no, I take it back. You should be offended. Be very offended."

"I've had bad luck with dark magic lately," the younger lowered her head in shame. That was putting it lightly. She couldn't even hold a goddamn illusion spell for more than five minutes. "Speaking of, you never explained how you can avoid my spells so well."

"Mmmmm nope," Bella hummed. "I'm pretty sure I told you that day you barged into my kitchen like an angry gorilla."

"Are you kidding? I asked like a billion times and you never said a word!"

"You _demanded_ ," the older corrected. "I take demands from no one." Well, not quite. Only for the right person. And even then, you gotta pay to play.

"So I've noticed," she was glaring, but truthfully Hermione kinda liked that about her. Especially when they were having super amazing lesbian sex and Bella naturally commanded the bed.

"If you recall, I said 'that's why we don't use dark magic on dark magic users'."

"Um, I was there the whole time," Hermione rolled her eyes. "When the hell did you say that?"

"Right before I made you eat my rolls," Bella laughed at the way that sounded like a terrible sex pun. Well, she _had_ made Granger eat _something else_ right after. Not a bad analogy after all.

"Ugh, God that sounds like something from a corny porno the way you say it."

Bella rolled her eyes with a smirk. Hey, they were both thinking it. Somebody had to say it.

"You don't have bad luck with dark magic," Bella sighed, "You just lack the experience."

Hermione fell silent. She'd have to disagree with Bella on the luck issue, and experience wasn't exactly a problem. She'd been using dark enchantments for years now to keep herself hidden. Except recently her spells seemed ineffective, like they were losing power. She didn't really understand it.

"I've tried everything I know," she spoke quietly.

"Precisely the problem," Bella lowered herself until she was staring at the ceiling. "You need proper instruction for this, if you want to improve."

She felt the bed shift. Hermione turned on her side and threw a quizzical look her way. Bella sighed, she hated long, drawn out explanations.

"Look, its like this. Dark magic, effective dark magic, is not something you can just pick up from a textbook," with good measure, too, she thought. Dark Arts was something only to be taught to those who understood it, and not everyone could relate to its power. "You need someone to show you how to focus it. Your negative emotions fuel it. Anger, jealousy, envy, sadness, regret. If you hesitate, if your mind flickers for even a second, you've already lost."

Hermione listened while staring at her shoulder. There was a scar that resembled a small 'x' shape along the backside. She was almost tempted to run her fingers along the length, if she weren't scared of what wrath it would bring, that is.

"But, if you master it, bending and shaping becomes second nature," Bella saw her staring from the corner of her eye. She wasn't the type to go on a storytelling spree, however. She hoped Granger wouldn't ask. "Dismantling dark matter, like, say, a concealment charm-" she snapped to show how easy it would be.

"Even without a wand?" Hermione hadn't failed to notice one huge factor to their prior meetings- Bella had been unarmed each time.

"A wand is nothing more than a medium," Bella replied with a whip of her hand. "It may make it easier, but wandless magic is not impossible.

"There are those, like Potter and his Ministry dogs, that believe a wand holds the identity of a magic user and therefore can be used as a bargaining chip for power. However," Bella snapped again; this time the blinds to the room's only window immediately opened and allowed a wave of sunlight to infiltrate. "They are wrong."

"Wow," Hermione watched as the blinds closed and the room resumed its natural vampire habitat.

Bella sighed. As much as she liked to show off she didn't really care to be fawned over. No. No heart eyes in this motherfucker, get that shit in check.

"Bella?" God, that felt weird to say out loud. She had been thinking of her as Bella since the incident at the hospital, but this was the first time she'd actually called her name out loud. She nervously fiddled with the sheet thinking herself insane to even consider her next question. But, well, there would never be another opportunity like this, would there?

"Could you teach me?"

Bella turned with a serious expression. Her eyes seemed to.. sparkle? Well, Hermione didn't know if she'd go _that_ far to describe it. Something about Bella and sparkling gave her the wrong impression. She immediately withdrew.

"Sorry, I should've known better," her eyes darted back and fourth and she started to ramble to cover the way her heart ached in denial. "I mean, why would you ever do anything for me?"

"Why, indeed," Bella slowly swept her eyes over her form.

"I mean, just thinking about it… You could totally turn me into the Ministry. I'm sure that sack of shit Potter would pay handsomely for me," she said bitterly. "You could barter me up for trade. Your freedom, your magic. Maybe even get your wand back."

"You're delusional if you think Potter would ever do anything for me without putting a leash on my 'freedom'."

"And then there's- whatever this is- between us," Hermione continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You could tell everyone how perverted and demented I am-"

Oh, but she liked perverted and demented. Plus, honestly, her kink wasn't even that bad. She hadn't formally met her family. Now _that_ was a perverted bunch.

"Granger?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Bella's phone lit and vibrated from its place on the table. She groaned, that couldn't be anything good. She sat up and checked the screen.

"Shit," she mumbled. "I have to go, the ER is paging me," she jumped and rummaged her closet for a uniform.

"You, on the other hand," she pointed to Hermione just as she started to move, "Get some rest. Your first lesson starts when I get back."

"You're.. Serious?" Hermione furrowed her brows, "You would actually teach me?"

"If you think its for free, think again," Bella looked her up and down. "Your body is the price. In exchange for my knowledge and also room and board. That includes meals," she threw in a punctuating look to her bony waist. "Do we have a deal?"

"You'd let me-"

"Your answer, Granger?" She didn't exactly have all day to shit and giggle around.

Hermione wondered if something that brought them both pleasure could really be used as a ransom. Honestly, at this point, it was all she felt she had of value to offer.

Which, in Hermione speak, translated to 'how long do I have before she tires of me and throws me aside like a box of fried chicken bones?' Like, there was only so many ways to lick a clit. What could Bella possibly gain by keeping her around any longer than that?

"I- Yes, I agree."

"Good kitty, but be warned," dark eyes called to her from the doorway, "I do have a tendency to bite."


	6. Chapter Five- Blame Game

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Five- Blame Game_

-))*((-

The doors to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries opened for the general public at 8am sharp.

For nurses, however, the doors were always opened.

Nurse "Joy", aka Hermione, burst through those doors at 8:03am, because she didn't have the guts to come any earlier.

Reciting her plan over and over for reassurance, she headed straight to the laundry rooms where "Joy" would have been expected to pick up a hamper and make rounds on the second floor exchanging patient's dirty linens with fresh, lemon scented new ones.

Just like any other day of the week.

Alright. Clothes hamper? Check. Empty elevator ride up a single floor to the Psych Ward? Check. Draco Malfoy leaning against the reception desk in the lobby? Check.

Wait, no, that was bad. That was really, really bad.

"And you're sure you haven't seen him?" She heard Draco ask as she stepped from the cart.

Hermione, I mean "Joy", casually strolled up to the desk to sign her check-in sheet. Just like any other day. Because she worked here. And if she didn't, it would look suspicious. Because she totally worked here. Yep. Completely fine.

"I would remember if I'd seen Severus Snape in my house, Draco. Which, you'd know too if you ever came around to visit," Narcissa Malfoy replied with the slightest hint of annoyance to her voice. "Oh. Good morning, Joy."

Hermione froze. She looked up and prayed to God that her illusion spell would hold. Not even trusting her voice at that point, she simply smiled and nodded. Narcissa smiled back and handed her a clipboard.

Draco sighed, "I've told you, Mother. Between Astoria being pregnant and the Minister working me for every ounce of sweat I have-"

"Are you giving me lip, boy?" Narcissa swatted him on the back of the neck with a stack of rolled papers, "You know, one of these days you're going to need your poor mother around!"

"Mother, please," Draco groaned. "I'm just trying to do my job-"

"Then go do it and stop bothering me."

Hermione quickly scurried down the first hallway her instincts grabbed in order to catch her breath. Well, look at that. Her spell worked! She may have been a shaky, adrenaline-pumping mess, but her spell worked! Neither of them noticed! The lessons were working! Oh, she couldn't wait to tell Bella!

The next step was to locate the room she needed. She fumbled through the clipboard with unsteady hands.

"Look, this is pretty serious," Draco glanced around and lowered his voice. "He has a no purchase warrant on him for magical products. _S_ _omeone_ has violated that warrant to _i_ _llegally_ distribute him potions. If you know anything about it-"

"I've told you all I know about Severus," Narcissa snapped. "Now, if you excuse me, I have my _own_ job to do." She brushed past Draco and disappeared down the left hallway.

Hermione was still sifting through all the papers when Narcissa walked past her.

"Other hall, dear," She placed a hand on "Joy's" arm. "We all get turned around sometimes."

"T-Thanks," Hermione stuttered. Narcissa winked.

She hurried past the lobby, past Draco reading the wall literature, to the other side of the floor. She scanned each door until she found the right number.

 _Room 106._  
 _Johnathan Granger._

This was the moment of truth. She held her breath and turned the knob.

Before she could face him, before she could look him in the eyes for the first time in ten years, Hermione wanted to undo her illusion. She knew it were a huge risk, she knew the danger she'd face if she fucked up her plan; but there was this undeniable sense that she wanted to be with him as the woman she had become, not as someone else.

Even if he wouldn't recognize her.

And so, she closed the door behind herself and focused. She had been reading up on dark magic for a few months now; and with Bella's guided training, she was feeling a bit more confident in her abilities. Not enough for what she really wanted to do, but enough to chance a visit with her father for the Holidays.

She approached his bed, not as Joy, but as Hermione. He looked good, about as good as you can when you're a dependent of the State. He had gained a bit of weight, but at least he wasn't starved. There was a bit of peppered scruff on his chin.

She reached for his hand. His eyes fluttered and slowly opened.

"Good morning, Dad," she smiled brightly. "How are you feeling today?"

Johnathan turned his eyes her way. His expression remained neutral.

"I've been.. Well, I've been okay." She placed both hands over his. "Haven't been home in a while. It's probably so dusty that mom would scold me for it if she saw."

She struggled to keep the tears back. It'd do no good crying about it now.

"I lost Crookshanks," she sniffed and wiped her eyes. "He ran away shortly after you were admitted."

He turned his head away from her and looked out the window. Hermione fluffed his pillow.

"I don't have a job at the moment, and I'm currently on the run from the law, well, in the wizarding world anyway," her voice cracked. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the bars on his bed tightly and chuckled, "Some daughter I turned out to be, huh?"

Her head shot up when she heard him mumble. He was looking at her, his eyes suddenly filled with life. His mouth was open and desperately trying to formulate words.

"Oh, Dad. Don't trouble yourself," she wiped his mouth with the sheet. "I'm fine, really I am. I'm not alone anymore. Haven't been for a few months. I've been living with another convict, you see."

Well, when she said it like that, kinda hard to see how that made things better.

"She's not all that bad," Hermione rambled, "She's... Interesting, to say the least. I've learned a lot from being with her," she stroked her dad's chin and felt the stubble tickle her fingers. "Things that I would have never considered before... I'm now learning about. Isn't that weird?"

Her time was almost up. She knew it, and yet she didn't want to leave.

"You look so good, Dad. They're taking good care of you here. I'm so glad I got a chance to see you," she squeezed his hand. The last time she'd seen him was _that_ night, and all she could remember from back then was horrid screaming, blood, and the look of her mother's dead eyes staring into her soul. Seeing him clean and somewhat alert made her feel so much better.

"I've got to go now, but I promise I'll be back," God, she didn't want to leave. She didn't want to even say it. "I promise. I'm getting stronger so I can fix this mess."

Her father tried to speak again, this time his grunts were stronger. He had a serious look on his face and he gripped her hand.

"Jo- Jo- haane," he groaned. "Jo- hanne."

She smoothed his hair to calm him. Even in insanity, he could still recognize what features of his wife Hermione wore.

"I love you, Dad," she whispered from her kiss on his forehead.

She absolutely fucking hated it, but she had to go. Her time was well past due. She took one last look while tucking the sheet securely around him, and said her goodbye.

Steadying herself on the door, she tried to focus. She needed to fix the illusion without breaking her tracer.

"Umbra Praestigia," she muttered once she felt a good bit of energy swirling around her.

Several things happened at once.

One, the illusion didn't form. Hermione could see herself reflected in the 'emergency evacuation' plan hanging on the wall.

Two, she tripped the goddamn Unregistered Magic alarm. Hard screeching echoed in the room out into the hallway. It sounded like a duck being shot to its death.

And three, apparently it wasn't the only alarm she tripped. Suddenly rooms from all over the ward echoed with this god awful swarm of dying ducks.

"What the hell is that?" Draco called from the front.

"The Unregistered Magic alarm's been set off," one of the receptions frantically replied, "But I can't tell which room."

"What do you mean, you can't tell?"

"It was tripped in four rooms at the same time-"

A second chorus of morbid quacking was now going off. Hermione creaked the door open and took a peak. Pandemonium had officially broke out.

"Room 126- clear!" A nurse ran up the hallway shouting.

"Room 134- clear!"

"Room 147- clear!"

Silently thanking the Gods that _s_ _omehow_ she hadn't been caught yet, Hermione focused and chanted the spell again.

Except this time, the door was yanked open the second her wand lit.

Oh, the illusion worked just fine. But the nurse who bumped into her now had a head full of fire.

"Anything weird in here?" The nurse asked. Apparently she hadn't noticed the flames burning her hair to a crisp. And I mean, that bun was lit like Christmas, fam.

"Nope," Hermione replied as Joy and stiffly shuffled past the woman, "All fine."

"Room 106- clear!" The nurse yelled as she jogged back to the lobby where not even two seconds later someone screamed, "WHY IS YOUR HAIR ON FIRE?!"

"Auguamenti," Draco shouted, which did the exact opposite of what it was supposed to do. Now that bitch was _really_ lit like Christmas.

"PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!"

Draco raised his wand again but the nurse quickly cut him off.

"NOT YOU!"

Hermione stood absolutely terrified. She just set some on goddamn _fire_. Holy fucking shit batman.

Strong feminine fingers took hold of her and dragged her down the corridor.

"Follow me," Narcissa whispered and motioned for her to be quiet. Hermione had no choice but to obey seeing as how Momma Malfoy was leading the way.

The fire sprinklers started spitting out water due to the ridiculous amount of smoke generated from fire buns up front.

Draco turned his wand to the ceiling and shouted, "Desisto!"

Nothing happened. Draco was suddenly having a very bad day.

Narcissa led them to the back set of elevators and pressed the 'down' button. While they waited she took hold of Hermione's wand, her thumb on the tip, and whispered, "Rigidum."

Grey smoke surfaced from where she held the tip and took two seconds to turn white. The elevator doors pinged open.

"Don't talk to anyone on your way out," Narcissa muttered and shoved Hermione in, "Oh, and Granger?" Hermione looked absolutely horrified. Narcissa smiled.

"Give my regards to Bella, love."

After making sure she was well on her way, Momma Malfoy rejoined the front lobby group.

"WHY WONT THESE BLOODY SPRINKLERS SHUT OFF?!" Draco roared above the chaos.

"Desisto!" Narcissa pointed her wand at the ceiling. The fire sprinklers stopped, the alarms rested, and fire buns smoldered and went out with a flick.

"How did you do that?" Draco asked her incredulously.

She shrugged. "Mother's touch."

"MY HAAAIIIRRRRR!" The poor woman paced back and fourth screeching from the top of her lungs, "PUT OUT THE FIRE, PUT OUT THE FIRE!"

"Marilyn, dear, the fire's gone," Narcissa called out to her.

Marilyn felt the top of her head. Yep, fire was definitely gone, along with a good chunk of hair, too.

"... Oh."

-))*((-

"Do you not tire of this? Of living like some filthy lab rat in a cage?"

Severus sat at the kitchen table elbows deep in papers, rummaging from paragraph to paragraph to find something, anything, he could use to back his arguments. Bella remained quiet to his question. She was at the stove, slowly stirring a heavy black pot of boiling stew.

"Our wands, Bella. Our magic," Snape continued. He studied her profile. "Do you not wish for it all to be rightfully returned?"

"Silly Severus, I don't a stick for all of that," she carefully added a bowlful of diced potatoes to the mix. "And neither do you. I don't understand why you're so fixated on it."

"It's not _just_ the wand," he went back to his reading, "It's what it represents. Our pride! Our heritage! Our power! He has stripped us, all of us, for almost twelve years now! Isn't that enough?"

Bella shrugged.

"What's this?" Head tilted in bewilderment, he removed his reading spectacles and once again turned his gaze on his friend. "Has the almighty Bellatrix Lestrange lost her spark?"

She gripped the edge of the pot and grit her teeth. She was getting real tired of hearing that goddamn name.

"Don't you care at all about your freedom?"

"Freedom has a different meaning depending on who you ask. This-" she waved her hand in the air- "Is the definition I arrived at."

"Ah, yes. Your charity work with the Muggles," Severus sneered with a roll of eyes. "Does it give you more stability than letting your true nature free?"

"You of all people should know how subjective it is for you to say what my true nature is," she told him, "I'm not the same as I was back then. And I have no desire to be."

She covered the pot with a lid and moved to the counter where she picked up her blade and began chopping two large carrots.

"I meant your magic," Snape banged his fist against the table, "Do you not feel as if you've been denied the prime of your being?"

"And I told you that I don't need some silly stick of wood to keep in touch with that part of myself."

"Without a wand, you cannot practice; if you cannot practice, then you cannot defend yourself," he was starting to get pissed by her passiveness. "You would rather stay living in fear of the Ministry, in fear of returning to Azkaban, for _t_ _his?"_

"Yes," Bella turned and answered him truthfully. Severus narrowed his eyes.

"I don't understand."

"I don't expect you to," she resumed tending to the carrots. "I can't explain it. But I like the way I live, Severus. I can't go back. Not now. Not when-"

Their conversation was interrupted by the front door opening and slamming shut. Bella turned on the spot, her gaze immediately locked with Hermione's. The younger witch looked between them both, eyes puffed and cheeks red, then stomped her way up the staircase. They heard one more door slam before all was silent.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but did I not just watch Hermione Granger enter your household like she belonged?"

Letting loose a stressful sigh, Bella ignored him and finished the last carrot slice.

"Well well," Snape taunted, "Now I know precisely what has made your life _likable_ as of late. Just when were you going to drop this interesting turn of event?"

"I haven't seen you in a year," she snapped while adding the carrots to the pot. "When the hell was I supposed to tell you?"

"Point taken," Severus conceded. "Better be careful. Taming a lion requires a lot of… Stamina," he smirked and shot her a knowing look.

Well, he wasn't wrong. Bella glared at him anyway.

"Get out of my kitchen."

"Fine," Snape took the hint and collected his paperwork along with two large jars- one of wild roots and the other of a finely crushed powder, "As always, Bella, you have my thanks."

And with that he was gone.

-))*((-

It was almost nightfall when Bella made her way up the stairs, both hands full of her own mixed drink concoctions. She knocked on the door before she opened and entered.

Hermione sat on the floor of 'her' side of the bed, her back reclined against it and her head rested on knees that were drawn to her chest. Bella walked over and sat next to her. She nudged and handed her a glass when Hermione looked up. She caught a good look at those puffy rims around her eyes.

The younger took the glass without saying anything and went back to staring at the floor. They sat for a while in a comfortable silence, as neither were really the 'open' type to prod any further than what the other was willing to share.

"This is good," Hermione said after a while.

"Vodka with a little Sprite and canned peach juice," Bella replied. There was also a sliced peach or two hangin' out in there, somewhere. She knew it was her favorite.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, kitten."

Hermione bit her lip. She knew Bella wouldn't ask, but there was a part of her that wanted her to. They were both private people who kept to themselves mostly, but there were rare moments when one or the other would slowly start to open up. When the world felt too big, or too small, it was nice to have someone who was familiar with both silence and times of emotion.

For Hermione, this was one of those moments.

"It's all my fault," she sighed, "I went to see my dad."

Bella glanced from the corner of her eye. She was tracing patterns in the floorboards.

"I made a complete mess of things. I set a woman's hair on fire."

Oh, Jesus. Bella wished she could have been there to see that.

"It's like I take one small step forward, but then two giant leaps back."

Bella's gaze softened. "You're doing fine."

"It's not fine," she shook her head. "Draco was there. He was right there in the lobby. And your sister," she buried her face in her arm. "If she hadn't helped me, Draco would've known. And he would've hauled me off to Azkaban."

"Cissy may be many things, but she's not a rat," Bella stretched her legs out.

"But why? Why did she help me?" Hermione threw her a helpless glance. "She knew I was with you. And if she knew, then Draco definitely would've found out. I could have put you in danger, too."

Bella stared at her. She had a sudden strong desire to touch.

"You know, as much as I love my nephew," Bella lifted her chin, "He is a bit of a twit." she swiped her thumb across and watched as her kitten's eyes fluttered. She was always so caught up on the 'what-if's' that she often lost sight of what's important. "Don't worry about him. You made it out, that's all that matters."

Bella scooted herself up on the bed and motioned for Hermione to join. The younger shook her head.

"I'm not in the mood."

But this wasn't about lust, pleasure, or kinks at all. This was about release. Hermione had read every book she had on perfecting dark magic, but no amount of text could teach you how let go.

That came from experience.

"I'd say this is the perfect mood, kitten," Bella slinked behind her, hands sliding down the front of her chest. "Remember the lesson on releasing your emotions?"

Hermione groaned- yes, of course she remembered the hardest fucking lesson yet- and rolled her head to the side, which allowed Bella better access to bite and nibble. She had a few bruises, a few marks, but that came with the territory.

"You're frustrated," Bella stated and then whispered, "Come release it."

Eyes closed, Hermione envisioned herself, her failures, her mistakes, her grief, her resentment, and her regret. Bella slipped cool fingers under the fabric of her shirt and felt her small frame tremble. She had gained a little weight since staying there, but she was still so damn skinny.

"I want to try a spell," Hermione panted. She wasn't sure if Bella'd appreciate it if she didn't ask first.

Fairly certain she knew the spell her kitten had in mind, the older licked up to the shell of her ear and whispered, "Do it."

 _"Cresco Verpa_."

Hermione stood, spelled her clothes off, and revealed her newest addition- a nice erect cock bulging from between her legs. Bella smirked. Good length, thick girth. Not bad, Granger. It was as she suspected; the page of this spell had been dog- earred for about two weeks now.

"Now that you've tried it," Bella made sure their eyes locked before she took hold and hummed from the shaft, "The question is, what will you _do_ with it?"

She licked the tip for a taste, keeping their eyes locked as she did so. Hermione had a slight tinge on her cheeks from a sensation she'd never felt before. She wanted to put her rage to use and fuck Bella into the mattress, and that's exactly what she planned to do.

She grabbed Bella by the hair and pushed her back. No time for foreplay, Hermione wanted her _now_. Satisfaction came in the form of ripping her pants down, to which Bella hastily kicked them off. The next instant Bella was being forced down on a hard cock, something she hadn't felt in _years_.

She nearly screamed, it was so good.

Hermione held her legs and unleashed her wrath, pound for pound. The feeling was unbelievable. Even better to watch her spine arch and her tits jug up and down in rhythm

"Don't- think- it'll- be- that- easy," Bella ground through grit teeth and kicked her back. She wore a smirk of pure sex all the while.

Hermione growled and twisted her stubborn tease of a woman until she were on her knees, ass up in the air like a bitch in heat.

Oh, God, her kitten was good. Not just anyone could dominate her like this. Bella had almost forgotten what it felt like to be at someone else's mercy. Fists dug in the sheets, she met each thrust with her own. She wanted Hermione to fuck her as hard as she could.

She didn't have to worry. Hermione left marks from where her nails raked her waist. She stuffed Bella's face down and fucked her into submission.

Not that Bella was complaining. In fact, she was _really_ close to drooling.

"Damn- Hermione," Bella nearly whimpered, "So- good- fuck!"

Oh, God, her pussy was tightening and she wasn't shying away from it, either. With each thrust Bella met her all the way, practically milking her cock with full force.

"Bella," Hermione panted, "You're gonna make me come if you keep doing that."

Like that would stop her.

"That's the _point_ , kitten," Bella ground out as she lifted herself on her shoulders. Hermione ran her fingers along the exposed spine and fisted her hair. Bella threw her head back in surrender.

"Yes, oh fuck yes, kitten," yep, she was whimpering. "Just like that, fuck me!"

Her moans always made Hermione weak. Her cock insisted they speed things up and so now she was ramming so hard the headboard was slapping the wall.

She pulled out just in time for her spurts of come to land over Bella's ass and lower back. Hermione rocked on her knees while the effects rippled through her body. Bella collapsed, completely boneless.

"Oh, my God," Hermione laid beside her. "That felt amazing."

"I'd have to agree with you," Bella panted. "For a first timer, you're damn good with a cock."

Hermione gave a weak little laugh. "It's easy when I have such a sexy woman teasing me."

Hermione completely missed the blush that crept over Bella as she fished for her wand to release the spell and clean up the mess she left. Bella, however, had other plans.

"Leave it," the older commanded and before Hermione could wave her wand had already gathered a good bit of come on her finger.

"That's-" she was going to say unnecessary, but watching Bella lick every ounce and then suck her finger quickly changed her mind. "-Gross."

"No different than if it came from your pussy," Bella muttered, she gathered more and brought it to Hermione's lips. "Taste it."

"Ugh, no," Hermione swatted her hand away. There were about forty things she could think of that she'd rather do instead. Like, eating squid. Or choking on roach piss, or as she called it, Jack Daniels.

"My bedroom," her eyes flashed with mischief, "My rules."

Oh, goddammit. How many times had she heard that muttered like a fucking mantra by now? You know what? Fuck it. She licked it. Before she could really taste it, Bella hooked her finger and brought their mouths together for a kiss.

They didn't always kiss after sex. They kissed a lot during, mostly when Bella wanted to make her taste herself- like now; but after the passion dwindled, Bella wasn't really the lovey dovey type at all. But there were occasions, like this, when their lips felt absolutely perfect crushed together.

"Sneaky little witch," Hermione spoke around Bella nibbling at her bottom lip. Her stomach picked an opportune moment to grumble, which completely ruined the mood.

"Hungry?" Bella smiled and playfully stroked her chin.

Hermione apologized. "I don't think I've eaten all day."

"You're in luck, kitten. I made stew," Bella gave Hermione's newest addition a tug, to which the younger groaned and threw her head back. "Then after that, I'll show you just how good _I_ am with a cock."

-))*((-

Spells used:

Umbra Praestigia- Dark Shadow

Desisto- desist, nullify

Rigidum- erase

Cresco Verpa- literally "grow erect"

Also, if anyone was wondering. Yes, "Joy" has pink hair and looks like she escaped from a Pokemon center.


	7. Chapter Six- Loopholes

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Six- Loopholes_

-))*((-

Harry had never seen Snape look so professional.

And really, could you blame him for standing there an extra second or two to admire how snug those gray stripped pants fit around his waist?

Adjusting his suddenly suffocating tie, Harry cleared his throat and walked to his desk. Setting his briefcase down with a hard thud, he mentally reminded himself that this was to be a _formal_ business meeting between the two. No time for fantasizing, no matter that Snape was sitting- more like reclining- at the very table he once forced Harry on and made him submit to the hottest fuck he'd ever had, or how- he shivered- delectable the very thought of a repeat performance would be.

But no, he steeled himself. Business came first this time.

"Greetings, Severus," papers in hand, he reached over the table for a friendly shake. "I trust your holidays were enjoyable?"

"Minister," Snape replied without accepting his offer. His eyes were already hard as stone. "About as enjoyable as one can be when you've become a slave to the Ministry."

"Oh, come now Severus," Harry sighed and took his seat. He was very aware of that cold glare locked on him. "That's hardly fair."

Severus sat up and flexed his fingers together on the table. "For those you continue to deny, it is a very fitting statement indeed."

"I don't see what your problem is with the Reform Bill. It's a perfect compromise," Harry said and rummaged through the papers, "If you don't want to play by the rules, then you can't expect to be granted the full benefits and liberties, can you?"

"Hardly a compromise, Potter," Snape's perceptive mind was in full swing. "What you've created is the illusion of choice."

"Illusion?" Harry tilted his head in confusion. "What makes you say that?"

"Your so-called 'peaceful alternative' comes with a price tag."

"Doesn't any?"

"Not when that price becomes a lifetime of servitude," Snape punctuated his words with taps along the glass. "You cannot call that compromise."

"Ah," Harry scanned the documents and found the section he desired. He slid the paper across to Severus. "You mean the stipulations described here in Section-"

"Of course," Snape slid the paper back to him before Harry could even release it. He wouldn't have needed to see his copy, not when he had the entire thing memorized. "What you call 'Community Service' is nothing more than a cover so you can spy on the criminals who do thy bidding. Its worse enough that they receive no compensation for their duties-"

"Hence why its known as 'Community Service'," Harry interjected with a forceful tone. "It wouldn't promote the right attitude if they were paid for it. Then it becomes a job."

"Precisely why the action is immoral," Snape rested his back against the leather seat and folded his arms. "In your idealistic quest to 'promote camaraderie', you've realistically driven the wedge even further between yourself, the citizens, and us 'reformed' criminals who you supposedly stand to protect."

Harry shot him an incredulous look.

"So you're saying I should have let you all rot in Azkaban? Is that what you're suggesting, Severus? And how would you fare? How would that look for someone like me who wants nothing more than to evolve our old way of thinking?"

"You've simply substituted one form of imprisonment for another, Potter," Severus did his best to keep his tone even, which was a goddamn miracle at this point. Arguing with Potter was like arguing with a twelve year old. "Random questioning? Search and seizure without probable cause? Where is the compromise in that, I ask you."

The phrase _'you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide_ ' was sickeningly close to being muttered from Harry's lips. As soon as he thought it, he immediately regret it.

"So you'd rather I beg pardons for all Death Eaters who refused to comply? Which, need I remind you, is the _only_ reason you have not been reprimanded for your actions towards me here of late."

Severus pursed his lips. He knew damn well that wasn't the _only_ reason.

"Oh wake up, Potter," he couldn't help it if some venom leaked, as it was clear that Harry completely missed the point. "The world is not so black and white. Its been twelve years-"

"And Riddle waited fourteen for his return!" Harry shouted with a serious look blazing in his eyes.

Pinching the bridge between his nose, Severus sighed. "Trust me, if any more Riddle's emerged from the ever dying group of old Death Eater's you keep chained to your hip like a pocket watch, you'll be the first to know it."

"It's _because_ of my efforts that we've managed to keep our society, people like you, free from fear."

"What good is that freedom if there are those who cannot fully embrace it?" Snape's eyes were lit with fire. Harry bounced back and fourth between each one. "Pray tell, what good comes from limiting and denying basic human rights for _any_ persons you deem 'free' in our society?! Who, then, protects those targeted from _you_?"

The tension was so thick it could be seen twerking in the corner. Harry sat back while running fingers through his untamed mess of hair.

"So, we are at a difference of opinion," he spoke calmly. "What you call 'oppression', I call 'compromise'. What I say is 'retribution', you say is 'slavery'," his gaze suddenly turned dark as he had grown very weary of fighting a battle that was going nowhere.

"The only difference is that my opinion is the one that matters."

As it should be. Harry would always do what he thought best for his people. Nobody else had made it this far, and nobody would stand in his way.

Snape sat and quietly observed. He was unsure of what his next move would be, but he knew at that moment everything in him was fighting. Fighting to be seen, to be heard, to be acknowledged. Somehow he had to make Potter understand.

"I once aligned myself with the two most powerful wizards of our time," Snape finally spoke. "Now the third stands before me and I hesitate to show allegiance towards someone as prejudiced as yourself."

Hearing himself being called prejudiced was not something Harry expected to hear, ever, in his lifetime.

He especially never expected it from Severus Goddamn Snape.

"I vanquished one of those wizards, Severus," Harry spoke just as calmly. "He was a mass murderer set on world domination-"

"And the other raised you in his biases," Snape rebutted.

"Why does this bother you so much? What is this really about?" Arms on the table, Harry rested his forehead in his palm. He began stacking the forms of papers in neat piles.

"You want your wand that badly, but won't submit to the consequences. You bully and blackmail me, you break even more laws and demand I bend the rules for you, once again. As if being the _only_ Death Eater granted a _f_ _ull pardon_ wasn't good enough for you. And now you claim that _I'm_ the unfair one?" edges could he heard sliding in place as he banged the stack on the table. "I don't understand you, Severus Snape."

"A contract with no amnesty cannot be called a _f_ _ull pardon_ , no matter how you justify it."

"Amnesty?" Harry paused. The word left a bad taste in his mouth. "Of all things, you want _amnesty_ -?!"

"Yes, Potter. Amnesty. Room for forgiveness," Severus insisted. "The one flaw in your entire 'Program'."

"I don't understand."

"How can we ever 'evolve', as you say, if you continue to siphon our chance to grow?!"

They sat in deadlocked silence. Harry shook his head, an intense look on his face. He considered his words carefully.

He could conceede to Snape's point. But it still wasn't enough to give a definite answer to. He would need to form an entire committee, run it through the mill, get it voted on, the whole nine yards. It would not be an easy task, and there was already much opposition in the Council as it was. Many of his cabinet did not favor the original ideal of letting Death Eaters roam the streets as 'free men', no matter what type of stipulations Harry had put on it. And there were a lot.

But it was necessary to get the bill passed. Harry thought anything would be better than the harsh Dementors at Azkaban. But with more than half of the detainees in the Program reported with seized wands in the last year alone, he was starting to see otherwise. Not to mention that his most compelling argument to date came from a man who was looking at him with such passion in his eyes that Harry hardly recognized him at all. This Severus Snape was a man he'd never seen before.

His interest in this case, and this man before him, had been piqued. Perhaps it was time for a reform draft to be brought before the Council.

"I have heard your concern," Harry stood. "I will see what I can do."

"Yes, Potter," Severus stood as well. "Make sure that you do."

-))*((-

Blankets of snow covered most of the streets as the afterglow of January could still be seen well into February. Hermione sat caressing a hot mug of coffee in the booth of a rinky dink Muggle diner in town, which had been decorated in god awful tacky Valentine's Day décor, watching fresh snow fall from the sky. The only other occupants were a bald fat man in an old dress suit who clearly was as crazy as he looked for sitting next to the entrance, and a woman at the bar wearing what appeared to be something recycled from a 70's disco. Hermione hadn't cared much for disco, nor the fashion, let me tell ya. Who in their right mind needed sleeves that big and fluffy?!

The heat from inside had caused the windows to fog and a few seats down you could see small doodles some children left the busboys to clean. There were little hearts and stars and one was either a dinosaur eating people or a giant blob monster giving birth to blob monster babies, either way Hermione wasn't quite sure it was appropriate.

Her phone buzzed and so she checked the screen. A smile broke out across her face. Bella was finally on her way from the hospital. They were supposed to meet here about an hour ago for lunch but as usual Bella ended up staying over her shift. Hermione understood, however. She was needed, after all.

Smirking from the rim of her coffee, she marveled at how _normal_ it all seemed now. They had fallen into a bit of a routine around each other. Bella would talk about her shifts, about her bratty co-workers and some of the more outrageous patients she'd worked on. They'd discuss in depth about magical properties. And they'd both knew what to do if the other was having a particularly rough day.

Hermione even liked the fact that Bella was more open with her touches and kisses. They actually cuddled a few days ago. Like, consciously. On purpose. Usually the only contact Hermione ever had outside of sex was those rare occasions when Bella was too drunk to move, or if she was sleep and forgot that she now shared a bed and would inch herself over to Hermione's side and steal most of it, leaving her scooched to the edge like a can of packed salmon.

Not that she'd mind, well, now anyway. But it was rough in the beginning. Bella slept like a goddamn two year old.

So lost in thought was she that she completely missed when the disco lady situated herself in her booth with a smirk. She was now face to face with giant ass star- shaped shades that perfectly reflected her 'what the fuck' expression.

Why did this seem familiar?

"Hello, Miss Granger," Narcissa Malfoy peered over the rim. Really, what was it with these sisters and wearing shades inside?!

"Misses Malfoy, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked in an urgent whisper when what she really meant to ask was 'why the fuck are you dressed like Donna Summer?', "How did you find me?"

'Misses'. Oh what a flatterer.

"Please, love. Call me Narcissa," she smiled. "Or 'mom', since I do have a reputation for being the overbearing motherly type."

Oh, oh God. No, don't blush at that. Bad Hermione, bad!

"You had a little of my sister's magic in your wand," Thank fuck at least one of the Black sisters knew how to give a straight goddamn answer. "Bella and I have a trace on each other. Just in case any accidents should occur."

"Were you looking for her? She should be here any moment. We were meeting for lunch," she checked her phone and saw a text from Bella flash across the screen. She smiled.

"Oh, a date?" Narcissa smirked, "Speaking of Bella, how long has it been now?"

"It's not a date," Hermione averted her eyes to the steam from her mug. "And what do you mean?"

"I mean, how long has my sister been torturing an innocent soul like yourself? Surely she has you under some spell," Narcissa loved this teasing feel. Hermione was such a doll.

"She doesn't torture me," Hermione laughed. "Well, unless I ask for it."

Oh, she blushed. She didn't mean to say that out loud!

"Ah, I see now," Narcissa raised an eyebrow in wonder. "So you _are_ her little pet, aren't you?" She knew it, that fucking closet perv of a sister.

"It's not like that," her neckline plus the shy smile she wore said otherwise.

"Of course not, love," Narcissa winked. "Am I to assume you're getting something out of the deal, or are you just enjoying the call of wild, hmm?"

Oh, heavens. Why was God torturing her like this?! She couldn't handle Narcissa fucking 'Cher' Malfoy right now. Where was Bella, please hurry and save her from this embarrassment!

At that moment the doors to the diner opened and sent a chilly draft with it. Bella looked around and easily found her kitten, but at the unmistakable sight of her sister and her obsession with 'Muggle wear', she nearly ducked out of sight. Poor Hermione, being caught in public with this goon. And just what business did Narcissa have with _her_ kitten, anyway? She snuck and took the seat behind them as it seemed neither of them had noticed her.

"She's been teaching me how to control dark magic," Bella heard Hermione sigh. "But it's not going so well."

"And why would someone as lovely as yourself have a need for such skills?"

"I have my reasons."

Spoken like a true Slytherin. Bella was actually proud.

"Don't we all," Narcissa replied. "Perhaps the same reasons that would drive you to sneak around in St. Mungo's a few months ago?" Narcissa tapped on the table as she spoke.

"Thank you. For your help, I mean," Hermione wouldn't pass up a chance to formally thank the woman for saving her skin. "I don't know how I would've survived if you hadn't stepped in."

"Yes, well, my son is a bit of an airhead," Bella snorted. Look at who his goddamn mother was. "He tends to miss things as they happen right in front of his nose."

There was a twinkle in her eye that Hermione missed.

"So, back to this date of yours," Narcissa pursed her lips. Oh, she was well aware of her sister eavesdropping like an out- of- place teenager at a college frat party.

"It's not a date!" Hermione hissed. "I mean-"

"Love, if it's not a date then what would you call it?"

Hermione paused for a good minute. As much as she came to enjoy this thing with Bella, she still wasn't sure where all of this would lead to. Was there a future here? And could it mesh with her true ambition? Hermione spent a lot of time thinking about it lately.

She just didn't think the two ideas were compatible.

She wanted her life back to the way it was before she became a fugitive. Her family, the warmth and loving glow that she always knew. She never thought it would shatter like a porcelain doll when it hits a stone floor, ripped from her in the single blink of an eye. For the past ten years she had been suffocating in darkness alone. She was desperate for a way back to the light.

Reversing the damage and healing her father came first. It was her foremost thought every waking moment of the day.

Everything else would have to wait.

"It's nothing," Hermione's stone expression reflected from the dark liquid she held. "Casual at best. I would say it's the best of a bad situation."

Well, that wasn't entirely right, either. It was still just as confusing as it had been six months ago when she awoke to Bella standing over her hospital bed. Yet somewhere, somehow, things between them.. changed. Her feelings grew stronger. In a way, Bella was like an anchor to her. She drank less and ate more. She felt more confident about her body and about her identity. And, well, she wasn't much of a romantic, but Hermione still felt like she was wanted, like Bella hadn't grown tired of this game, or whatever this was between them.

But she could never bring it up, and Bella never talked about it at all. Hermione didn't want to ruin what little fun they did have, so, yeah. Still confusing as fuck.

Bella, however, wore a look of complete disbelief. She never expected to hear that kind of confession muttered from the lips of _her_ kitten. So that was it, then? That's how she truly felt?

And, well, what the hell _had_ she expected, anyway? I mean, yeah, she had grown accustomed to having Hermione around; and yeah, she enjoyed watching her sleep on those nights she came home extra late and had to sneak her way into bed so not to wake her, because she was an extremely light sleeper and once she was awake she was like a goddamn demon to deal with; but did that mean she wanted them to ride a golden chariot off in the sunset to a 'happily ever after' that waited for them like some goddamn Love Hotel? Not fucking likely.

So why the hell did hearing it out loud hurt so bad?

You know what? Fuck this.

Bella stormed out of her seat. There was a waitress delivering a strawberry milkshake to baldy near the exit. She purposefully knocked the pan over, sending the glass crashing to the floor.

"Hey!" the waitress called out. Bella was already gone.

But not before Hermione turned just in time to see her angrily hurrying down the sidewalk wiping her eyes.

"Shit," Hermione muttered.

That couldn't have been good.


	8. Interlude

_Loopholes_

 _Interlude- Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire_

-))*((-

 _Narcissa sat on an old sofa in the sitting room of a small, two bedroom house with a book in her hands and a head in her lap. A small, dingy desk lamp was the only source of light in the late night darkness. With her was Hermione, who was peacefully slumbering despite the puffiness of her eyes. Narcissa ran her fingers idly through the thick strands of hair surrounding the young woman's face._

 _Soon the sound of a door opening and closing could be heard towards the front of the house, followed by heavy footsteps. The disgruntled face of Lucius Malfoy appeared from the hallway. His tie was loose and the top three buttons of his crumpled shirt were undone. Dark rimmed eyes cautiously scanned the room before he fully entered the light._

 _"Feeding strays again, I see?"_

 _Narcissa did not reply, but her eyes lit up at the sight of her husband. He walked over to his wife, knowing what she wanted, and leaned in for a kiss._

 _"Is that Hermione Granger?" He asked after closer inspection. She was older, much older than the last he remembered._

 _"She'll be staying with us for a while," Narcissa resumed her light stroking while they talk._

 _"Oh?" Lucius called as he makes his way into the kitchen. "I thought you said she was with your sister."_

 _"They had an argument," Narcissa's voice was quiet and reserved. "Bella kicked her out."_

 _Lucius snorted, almost spilling his shot of whiskey._

 _"Forgive me, but that's hardly a surprise," he rejoined his wife and sat on the floor in front of her feet. She adjusted her legs so he could lean back against the frame of the sofa._

 _"No, its actually my fault," Narcissa replied. "I provoked Hermione into saying something Bella wasn't expecting. Apparently she overheard us."_

 _"You and Bella have always had this competitive attitude towards each other," Lucius had a glimmer of mischief in his eye as he spoke. Although his wife could not see him, she knew it was there. "I knew from the moment you told me that this would happen."_

 _"Yes, well," Narcissa's cheeks lined with the smallest hint of a blush, "This one is different."_

 _"Hmm? How so?"_

 _"They're in love."_

 _Lucius turned to get a good long stare at his wife._

 _"You can't be serious."_

 _Narcissa nodded._

 _"Bella?_ Our _Bella?!"_

 _"She's not_ our _Bella anymore," Narcissa corrected him. She stretched her legs over his shoulders and he gladly accepted them. "She hasn't been since the time she put you in the hospital for a week."_

 _He cringed at the mere thought._

 _"Unbelievable," he worked his thumbs along the back of her calves in a massaging motion, "I don't think I've ever seen your sister in love."_

 _"Mmm," Narcissa agreed. "It is rare. Which is why she doesn't even realize it."_

 _"Which one?"_

 _Narcissa glanced at the poor woman sleeping so soundly in her arms._

 _"Both."_

 _Silence befell the room. There was a visible tension lingering._

 _"How was work?" She asked while closing the book around a finger to mark her spot._

 _"You mean 'service'?" Lucius bitterly countered. "About the same as always."_

 _"And did you use any spells today?"_

 _Lucius nodded and pulled out his wand. Narcissa grasped the shaft, thumb over the tip, and whispered, "Rigidum." Two stunning spells were eradicated from its core._

 _"Were you attacked?" She nervously asked. Lucius shook his head._

 _"Goyle was caught today, on a search. Took two Aurors to bring him down," He smoothed his face with a heavy hand. "Found traces of memory charms from his wand. Third offense, snapped right on the spot."_

 _Another moment of silence filled with anxiety passed between the two._

 _"And Severus?"_

 _"Haven't heard from him yet, which can't mean anything good," Lucius pushed his hair back from his face, "Potter probably pulled a fast one on him."_

 _"We just need to keep faith that Severus will prevail," Narcissa followed his trail with her own fingers. "He's the only one out of all of us that Potter's ever listened to. Right now, he is the only one that stands a chance in speaking on our behalf."_

 _Lucius felt himself relax under his wife's touch. Still, he rolled his eyes._

 _"Yes, but that may be due to the fact that Severus is also extremely gifted in the nether regions."_

 _"If that works, then so be it. Whatever gets us our freedom back," Narcissa said. "Accounts on hold, our manor seized. We have to lie to our son, we have to erase part of ourselves to protect our necks… I don't know how much more of this I can take, Lucius."_

 _Lucius fell silent, for he knew all too well the burden she carried on her shoulders._

 _"You know, its not all that bad," he slid his hands over her feet and chuckles when she tried to jerk away from the ticklish feeling. "Look at us. We are dirt poor, but I've never felt more in touch with you."_

 _He placed small kisses up her leg, his eyes closed to savor the moment. "Magic, money, power, status; it made moments like these seem mundane."_

 _Playful hands ruffled through his hair. He smiled._

 _"Besides, we've got a great scheme invested. We have an entire network. Just look- there's a ferocious_ lion _sleeping on our sofa, for Christ's sake."_

 _"I believe Bella calls her '_ kitten _'," Narcissa purred her nickname._

 _"Even better," Lucius growled. "Mrooow."_

 _Narcissa gently slapped him with her book._


	9. Chapter Seven- Shattered

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Seven- Shattered_

-))*((-

 _"Granger," her eyes were_ shining _. They were soft, warm, and fucking_ shining _. Hermione found herself slipping under their charm more and more these days. "I know why you're doing this. I know what happened that night, to your mother."_

 _Hermione fell silent._

 _"I-I'm on every Ministry public bulletin out there, of course everyone knows-"_

 _"No," Bella interrupted. "Everyone knows what Kingsley told them."_

 _"H-How did you find out?" Hermione hesitated. She wondered what this was about so suddenly, it wasn't like Bella to be so inquisitive. "I never told anyone, and I never told you when I knew you as 'Sascha'."_

 _"And I never knew 'Laina' was a witch," Bella shrugged. "But I've kept tabs on certain people since I left. The important ones, anyway."_

 _Confused, Hermione glanced up from between the elder's arms. "I was someone important to you?"_

 _Bella ran a finger absently down her arm, down the scar she knew was there._

 _"I told you once before that you should never forget the eyes of a woman who marks you."_

 _"But, why?" Hermione tucked her head underneath her chin. "I'm not the type to want revenge."_

 _Bella snorted. No, of course not. She'd only hexed her like a dozen times._

 _"I have many enemies, Granger; plus a bounty on my head for it," Bella allowed a moment's weakness and took a deep breath. She always smelled like roasted cinnamon. "Intent no longer matters. Anyone could become an enemy just as soon as they become a friend."_

 _That was a feeling Hermione could relate to as of late. She lifted her head once again, her fingers drew the outline of Bella's breast bone._

 _"So, is that why you didn't approach me right off? At the restaurant?"_

 _In Hermione speak that translated to 'so you didn't want to blow me off because I wasn't what you were expecting?'_

 _"Yes," Bella answered honestly. "I thought I had been set up. So I watched you from the bar," Bella smiled as she fondly remembered the adorable little pout that formed on her lips after the second drink, "Imagine my surprise when I learned that my kinky little kitten was none other than Hermione Granger."_

 _"Oh,_ shut up _," Hermione pushed her off the bed._

 _-))*((-_

 _"What are you saying?"_

 _"I'm saying that our 'deal' has been terminated," Bella shouted as she flew up the staircase. "Why don't you go 'study' with Narcissa, since she's_ obviously _better than me."_

 _"Where the hell is this coming from?! When did I ever say Narcissa was better than you?!" Hermione stared from the bottom of the stairwell. She heard forceful rummaging from the room-_ their _room- and suddenly all of her clothes came flying out like winds from a hurricane._

 _"You don't have to say it," Bella hissed. "She_ always _does this, she always waits until I get something of value to come along and snatch it from me."_

 _"Is that what this is about? You think she came here to_ snatch _me from you like- like some old rag doll?" Hermione fumed. She stomped equally as loudly up the steps. "Let's get one thing straight. I don't like your sister, not like that. And even if I did, when the hell did we ever agree that we were dating? That we were involved in any way?" she folded her arms and blocked the bedroom doorway. "You've been saying from the start that this would just be a bit of fun. Nothing more."_

 _"Yes, Granger, I said it," Bella hissed. Angry tears had formed in the corner of her eyes. She pushed her way past Hermione. "And now I'm saying the fun is over."_

-))*((-

"Lucius I swear to God, if you don't get that goddamn peacock under control I will pluck each and every single feather, make a dress with them, and wear it to that bloody bird's funeral!"

Rabid screeching could be heard down the hallway followed by breaking glass and china and Narcissa's cries of despair. Hermione painstakingly opened her eyes to see sunshine placing high noon shadows over her bed.

"You better hope you catch that motherfucker before I do. Ever had fried peacock on a _stick_?!"

Five days. This routine had been going on for _five days straight_. Hermione had no fucking idea why he needed a fucking peacock so bad, but with each passing morning she inched closer and closer to helping Narcissa plot its death.

Ung. She pulled the covers over her head and closed her eyes tight. Another memory came swirling through.

 _"Remember that night I came home and you tried to give me a massage and I snapped at you?" Bella asked. She sniffed over the fumes of onions she was chopping._

 _"Yes," Hermione bitterly pouted. That was the night she learned that Bella did_ not _like to be touched._

 _"I lost two patients that night. Back to back."_

 _The kitchen became eerily quiet as Hermione stared at her back. This was one of those rare moments when Bella felt like talking about things she couldn't say to anyone else._

 _Mostly because she had no one else who would care to listen._

 _"I had to tell a single mother that she lost her fourteen year old daughter to a gunshot wound to the chest."_

 _The pan simmered as she added the onions to the mix._

 _"I'm sorry," Hermione said quietly._

 _"No, you don't have to be," Bella called. "Its just ironic, isn't it? Twelve years ago I wouldn't have given a rats ass. In fact, I'd have been the one killing these Muggles instead of saving them."_

 _"But you're different now," Hermione stated. She walked over to the counter and leaned her bum against it. Getting a good look at Bella's face, she hoped she wouldn't cross any lines when she asked her next question, "What made you change your mind?"_

 _Bella sighed a good heavy sigh._

 _"A lot of things."_

 _Well, fair enough. Hermione knew she wasn't the talkative type. Still, she had the silliest look on her face holding out hopes that Bella would answer more in depth. It was a question she'd wanted to ask for months now. Bella caught a glance at her standing there like a kid waiting for a water balloon to pop. She actually laughed._

 _"Pursuit of happiness, kitten."_

 _What, like the movie? Which was pretty good, if you've never seen it._

 _Hermione had been watching her. Always, always watching. She was so different from the Bellatrix the wizarding world had known and feared all those years ago. Which only made Hermione wonder what drove her to leave it all behind, and what types of suffering she kept hidden beneath that calm exterior she always wore._

 _And yet, despite it all, there was never a moment when she didn't look as comfortable as she did now._

 _"Did you find it?" Hermione asked. She wondered if someday she too could rectify her own slice of happiness._

 _"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't," she stirred the pan of sautéed onions and peppers, then her gaze shifted to the sweet innocent face watching her every move. "Honestly? I've never felt more alive."_

A knock on the door disturbed her thoughts. And she groaned, what the hell was this- the Heartbreak Cinemas? You can't call it a breakup if you weren't even dating! This was sooooo confusing, but all she knew was that her heart felt like it had been ripped to fucking shreds and was being held in place with some cheap ass Dollar Store brand glue.

Like it totally fucking helped that her mind kept pushing things. She didn't want to remember that Bella only smoked Marlboro Reds, or that her ashtray was filled with every goddamn butt she ever smoked, or that she went on a massive cleaning spree when she was upset, that she actually disliked using magic even though she still could, that she was amazing in the kitchen and even better in the bedroom, that they had christened every single room of her apartment with hot steamy kinky sex, that she used lavender bath soap and a dreamy perfume called Dark Seduction that got on everything- even now Hermione could smell it on her clothes, that she loved the colors of autumn leaves and knew how to make novelty roses by folding them together, that she was totally obsessed with the Muggle show 'Breaking Bad' and her favorite thing to do was marathon episode after episode, that her favorite song was Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf, that she cried when she drank too much, that the only colors in her closet outside of hospital scrubs were black and blue, and that she actually really liked cuddling at night and even liked being a little spoon sometimes, but you better not fucking bring it up or else you'll get an ice cube down your crotch- and just-

Fuuuuuucccckkkk maaakeee itttt stoooop.

The door to her room opened and Narcissa peeked in.

"Hermione, love, I made lunch."

"I'm not hungry," Hermione called from under the covers.

Momma Malfoy's eye twitched. Full mom-mode engaged. One swing of her wand sent the covers levitating and Hermione shriveled like a shrimp at the loss of warmth.

"Up, up, young lady!" she called. "It's been a week and all you've done is moped around here like a lovesick puppy!"

"Unnnggggg."

"Precisely." Narcissa gave her a typical mom glare.

"Alright, alright," Hermione reluctantly sat up. "I'm up. Happy now, _mom_?"

She'd meant it as a jest, but the way Narcissa quirked an eyebrow completely changed the effect she was going for. That look said 'I'm not your mother but keep that tone up and I soon _will_ be.'

"Come on," Hermione was suddenly being pulled by the arm, "I've got just the thing."

"Is it vodka?" Hermione rubbed her eyes as they walked. Her hair was a mess and she'd been in those same clothes for three days now.

"No," Narcissa said and shoved her in the bathroom, "But it's better."

Catching her reflection in the mirror, Hermione groaned. She highly doubted the chances of _anything_ being better than vodka right about now.

A wave of hand later and the tub was filled with steaming water. Narcissa pulled from the cabinet a tiny ball, unwrapped it, and held it up for Hermione to see.

"A bath bomb?" Fucking really?

"A _magical_ bath bomb," Narcissa smirked at her expression.

Unless that fucker produced an entire tub of alcohol to drown her sorrows into, Hermione wasn't interested. But she knew Narcissa wouldn't leave her alone until she was satisfied. So she grabbed the ball and dropped it in the water.

It fizzed. Like normal bath bombs do.

Oh, it turned the water blu- no, wait, yep that's still a pretty normal thing that happens when you drop a goddamn neon ball full of Epsom salts and food coloring into water.

After a few moments Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. Where the hell was the 'magic' she spoke of?

"You have to actually get in the tub, love," Narcissa was secretly enjoying how she stood there waiting for some big explosion to shake the foundation.

"Are you going to stand there while I undress?"

Narcissa eyed her up and down, gaze particularly lingering on the curve of her ass through those cute Santa pajama pants.

"Perhaps."

"Ugh!" Hermione shoved her out. Both of these sisters were impossible!

"I'm only teasing," half way, anyway. "Come join me in the sitting room when you're done." Narcissa closed the door behind herself.

-))*((-

Narcissa wasn't in the sitting room when Hermione emerged a half hour later from the best goddamn bath she'd ever had in her entire twenty-nine years of existence.

She'd have to apologize for doubting the woman. That thing was better than sex.

Well, almost.

"Narcissa?" Hermione called out to the empty house. Nothing answered, but she did hear voices. Sounded like they were coming from…

The basement. Which, she was told, was completely off limits. Not that it mattered, because she hadn't really left her room much anyway; but now she wanted to know where the fuck was the party and why the hell she wasn't invited?!

She crept the door open and slid in like a cat gracefully stalking its prey.

Eh, it was more like a clumsy tap dancing moose. She missed the first step entirely and nearly tumbled down to her death. Thank God her the stairs were carpeted, which helped save her an embarrassing landing.

"Vhat vaz that?" she heard a gruffly, thick accented man ask.

"That would undoubtedly be Miss Granger," that voice was easily recognized as Severus Snape. Shiiiiit, did she just stumble in on some ex- Death Eater mafia meeting or something?!

"Hermione, love, are you alright?" Narcissa was up the stairwell in a matter of moments to help the poor girl up and on her feet. "That bath loosened you right up, I see?"

"Yes," she was flush as a sheet as Narcissa wrapped her arm around her waist. Her cover had been blown. She repeated. Her cover had been blown.

"I don't vant to be zeen, Narcizza," the foreign voice said in all his grufflyness.

"It's alright, Kakaroff," Lucius replied, "She's one of us. Bring her down, Cissa. I have something I want to give her."

Oh, dammit Lucius! If she saw their faces, they'd be obligated to kill her to keep their secret! Don't you ever watch the movies?!

Narcissa helped her down, which really the only problem was that she couldn't fucking _see_ the steps to know _where_ to step next, and they entered the lower level area.

Well, she hadn't been wrong. There was _definitely_ some secret mafia shit going on down here.

Severus and Lucius were hunched over a giant cast iron cauldron, their faces set in a greenish glow from whatever Lucius was stirring. And- goddammit, was he using a fucking peacock tail feather instead of a ladle?! Now she knew why the fuck she'd been suffering for the past week. That peacock probably hated his fucking guts.

There were shelves stocked full of jars and bottles ranging in every size, shape, and color imaginable. Kakaroff was sitting pretty on a table with papers scattered over every inch of what she could see. It was situated in the farthest corner, and his face was barely visible from the single light in the room.

So, here they were. Fucking hardcore gangbangers bustin' through.

She suddenly really, _really_ missed Bella.

"Well well, Miss Granger," Severus called without looking up, "You certainly get around these days, don't you?" He uncrossed his arms and slapped Lucius upside his ear.

"Stir it slower, for fucks sake. I will not have you ruin a third batch."

Lucius glared back but in reality he had fucked it up pretty badly the first two times. Like, 'almost-blew-up-the-house' kind of bad. Potions was not his forte, not by a long shot, but that's why he had Severus. Except, without a wand, Severus couldn't brew.

He could still bark out instructions like a goddamn pirate, though.

"'Ow much longer?" Kakaroff propped a foot up in the wooden desk chair and started to jiggle.

"Patience, Igor," Severus peered once more and the brew changed from green to white. He held up a hand for Lucius to stop. Lucius threw his head back and released a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding. Fucking finally.

A wave later and the mix filled five medium sized vials evenly. Kakaroff rushed over like a burly grizzly bear. He slammed some crumpled up money on the smaller table behind Severus and grabbed two jars.

Narcissa walked over, counted the money, and nodded her head. He then whipped out his wand, to which she grabbed the shaft, thumb over the tip, and whispered, "Rigidum." The grey smoke of his wand lingered for at least five seconds before it turned white.

Hermione, for the most part, did her best not to stick out like a sore thumb, which was preeeetty fucking hard to do. She didn't know if she should move, not move, speak, not speak, look, not look, like what the hell do you in this kind of situation that doesn't get you shot in the leg?

She was also pretty sure she'd seen that spell before. A lot, actually. The movement was similar to what Bella would do after any lessons she had to use her wand with, but Bella never actually said the incantation.

She was starting to wonder if it was something only those two could do.

"You 'ave my thankz," Kakaroff turned and, after giving Hermione a good one over, Apparated on the spot. The entire atmosphere immediately lightened.

"Pleasant, as usual," Severus muttered. He inspected the cauldron while Lucius scanned the shelves in search of one tiny blue bottle.

"This is for you, Granger." He held the vial for her to see. "Narcissa tells me you've been studying dark magic?"

"Yes," she bit her lip and wondered what else he knew, "But I've been-"

"Having trouble with your emotions," Lucius finished her thought. "It's not a rare occurrence." He placed the bottle in her palm and wrapped her fingers around it. "This will help clear your mind. Use it to meditate."

"Who's next?" Narcissa asked. She summoned a box from the top shelf. When she opened it, Hermione could see bits of cash and coins poking out.

"Albert Tesser," Snape said as he searched through the mess of papers on the big table. "One Polyjuice, one Magical Obscuring potion, and-" he chuckled, "One of your 'special' concoctions."

"Ah, of course," Narcissa smirked. Her 'special' potion wasn't even legal in the Muggle world, if ya' know what I mean. "Did he request a purging?"

"He never does," Lucius chimed in.

"No," Severus confirmed. "We have everything ready, just need someone to conduct the deal."

Thank fuck for that, Lucius stretched. He'd been slaving over that cauldron for _hours_. He needed a crap and a nap, precisely in that order.

"Just where do you think _you're_ going?" Severus yanked him back by the collar. "My cauldron requires tending."

Lucius groaned. "Can't you-"

Severus glared at him. His glares were fucking brutal. I mean, look at his face, all mushed and scrunched up like an ugly bulldog. Lucius'd agree to anything he wanted if it'd make him stop doing _that_.

"What's so 'special' about your special concoction?" Hermione timidly asked as she twirled the tiny bottle in her fingers.

Narcissa and Lucius shared a look, and sweet Jesus Narcissa actually blushed. Now she was really curious. Was it a sex thing? It totally seemed like a sex thing.

Narcissa wrapped an arm around her shoulder and took the vial from her grip. "I think we should go upstairs and find out, love."

Oh, God. She hoped it wasn't a sex thing.

"Careful, Granger," Severus called with a smirk, "Curiosity killed the _cat_."

-))*((-

An hour and a giant wholesale bag of Doritos Cool Ranch chips later, Hermione was comfortably laid on the Malfoy sofa with her head in Narcissa's lap. She'd tried to stay up, she really did, but her body just felt sooo relaxed, and sooo heavy, and it felt soooooo good to have someone run their fingers through her hair like this. Narcissa was so gentle. Her fingers were soft and warm and when they brushed along her face they even lingered like she wanted them to stay there.

So very different from Bella.

Ung, Bella. Hermione didn't want to think about how much she missed her, or how empty she felt without hearing about her busy day, or how extremely stupid and guilty she felt for what she said at the diner that day. Bella probably hated her. I mean, she looked seriously pissed off. The last time she'd seen her that angry was back in the warring days.

But why was she so upset? It was her deal in the first place. It just didn't add up, and it seemed completely unfair; but still. Hermione saw pain in her black eyes that day, and she felt like complete shit about it because she knew it was her fault.

"Bella hates me." Yeah, she was pouting. Did she care? No she did not.

"My sister doesn't hate you," Narcissa replied over the pages of her book.

"Yes she does," Hermione whined. "She hates me and it's all my fault."

Momma Malfoy took a deep sigh. "I'd say she cares more for you than you think."

"Nope," Hermione knew better. "All she wanted me for was sex. Said so from the beginning."

Narcissa sensed a conversation. And Jesus fucking Christ it was about damn time. She closed her book and rubbed her eyes.

"And just how long ago was 'the beginning'?"

"Six- and- a- half months." But who was counting, right?

Wow. That had to be a world record. The longest Narcissa had known about was Joe Johnson and that lasted a solid two weeks until she fucked him in the bathroom of a Hooters and he got stuck in the toilet.

"That doesn't include the time we spent online, either," Hermione continued. "She strings me along as this 'Sascha' character, then completely whacks me in the face when I find out its Bellatrix fucking Lestrange. She takes me, over and over and-" there was a little knot humming in her stomach at the thought that made her pause, "-and says its just for fun and then gets mad at me when I say the same? Like, who the hell does that?"

Someone who doesn't realize they're in love, that's who.

Narcissa knew it. She knew it the moment she purged Hermione's wand in St. Mungo's. Bella's magic wasn't just _there,_ like a speck of dirt on a clean shirt. It was fucking _everywhere,_ like Hermione had been baptized in it. Her sister would not go that far for just anybody.

"You two were talking before you met?" Narcissa slyly asked like the cunning Slytherin princess she was.

Hermione nodded. "I… Sorta joined a chat room…" Yeah, a chat room for sex starved perverts. Go figure. "We were in the same chat, Sascha and I-" hard to wonder what _type_ of chat that'd be, "The very first time we ever talked, she called me 'kitten.'" Hermione felt hot just remembering it.

Narcissa saw that blush, gurl. You can't hide from Momma Malfoy.

"So, Sascha. Who was she to you?"

"I immediately fell for her," Hermione admitted. "She was perfect. She liked what I liked and wasn't shy about it. She knew just what to say to get me-" ah, dammit. Hermione paused again.

Oh, Narcissa knew all too well what taboos her sister enjoyed, and had even participated in a few that her little _kitten_ didn't know about.

"But I knew it'd never be possible. And if by some miracle it could, I'd have to wipe her memories and never see her again. After all, I'm just…"

A criminal.

Reality had a certain way of keeping us grounded like that.

Narcissa brushed her bangs to the side of her face. "What happened after you two realized?"

"She propositioned me," the younger smiled as she recalled the restaurant scene. "I couldn't believe it. Here was someone as powerful and sexy as Bellatrix Lestrange looking at me like I was the best damn pick in the entire room."

Eyes half lidded, face fully flushed, she rubbed her cheek against Narcissa's lap. "And I liked it."

Narcissa smiled.

"And after?"

"I tried to Obliviate her and run," it seemed like the logical thing to do. "But she knew, and she invited me back."

Case in point. Bella did not call back unless it was _really_ good sex.

"So I went back. And it was every bit as good as before," Hermione's fingers clutched the hem of Narcissa's pants. "But it scared me. So I kept running, but she kept pulling me back, time and time and time again."

"Then, I guess I just warmed up to the fact that she wasn't trying to deceive me. Or control me, or manipulate me, or turn on me. Out of nowhere she offered to teach me what I wanted to know."

Another case in point. Bella never did anything for anyone she felt wasn't worth her time.

"She let me stay with her for six months," Hermione's voice had grown somber, almost like a yearning, "Now it's over and I feel like I'm completely shattered."

The room grew quiet. Narcissa continued to stroke her hair all the while.

"That doesn't seem like 'the best of a bad situation' to me, love."

"No," Hermione mistakenly admitted. "But I can't call it love either."

"Oh?" The older asked. "Why ever not?"

"Because!" Hermione sat up in an angry flash. "I.. I have things I need to do! Things I need to fix!" She felt tears form and tried to calm herself. "I can't afford to be distracted. Not now, not when I'm so close to bringing him home."

"Your father," Narcissa quietly stated.

"Yes," Hermione wiped her eyes. "I have the spell that can reverse the damage I caused when I tried to restore his memories," she sobbed while the older woman rubbed her back.

"But it's all dark, powerful magic. Well beyond what I could do. Back then, that night, I-I tried but I couldn't manage it. And I hadn't realized-"

Until it was too late.

Her father had been the first victim. When he didn't respond right away, she thought the spell had worked and he'd just need to rest. Her mother, however, paid the ultimate price for her mistake.

Narcissa pulled her shaking form in her arms. "It was an accident, love. No one can blame you for that."

Except that they _had_ blamed her. Kingsley, the Courts, every single one of them. Not even Harry had stepped in to help when he assumed office. Hermione broke down. She clung to Narcissa and balled her little eyes out.

"I killed her," she sobbed. "I killed my mom, I drove my dad to insanity, I was branded as a killer, betrayed by my best friends, and outcast from everyone else! I didn't ask for this!"

Oh, Narcissa's heart broke. She wished, from the bottom of her heart, that she could ease her pain, but she doubted anything she had to offer would suffice. All she could do was hold her while she cried.

And vow to kick Bella's ass at her earliest convenience. Honestly. She's the one Hermione wanted to cry to, not her.

Momma Malfoy held her by the shoulders and summoned a rag to clean her face.

"You don't think Bella knew that before she agreed to teach you?" She asked and wiped Hermione's cheek. Hermione gave a little laugh and took the cloth herself.

"I thought maybe she'd just understood a little of how I felt."

"And in understanding comes acceptance," she lifted Hermione's chin to meet her gaze. "I've known my sister for longer than you can imagine-" way to make yourself feel old, Cissy. Really pillin' it on there. "-And I know she would not have taken you in for so long if she didn't want to be a part of your life."

Hermione shook her head in denial but Narcissa held her steady.

"And want you in hers."

"How do you know?" Hermione had the look of a lost kitten desperately searching for its home, "If she never tells you, then how do you know?"

"Its not always reduced to what's said or not said, love," Narcissa replied with a genuine smile and stroked her cheek tenderly, "Sometimes our actions, how we show our feelings, can say more than we could ever put into words."


	10. Chapter Eight- Emotions

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Eight- Emotions_

-))*((-

It was a typical Saturday afternoon in the Malfoy household.

Severus and Lucius down in the illegal potions factory making some Wizard Meth. Narcissa and Hermione stoned out of their minds on the living room sofa. Half a bag of party sized Reese's Pieces and other junk food scattered around the kitchen in a complete mess of munchies. The next mafia "deal" set to roll in T-minus two hours. 'Goddamn Peacock', as Narcissa named him, sleep on the pillow he stole from Lucius's side of the bed and had now claimed as 'his'.

Yep, just another normal Saturday.

"Do you ever wonder why we look the way we do?" Hermione was studying Narcissa's hand in extreme detail. Did you know there were tiny fucking squares on your skin, man?! Try it! Look reeaaaalll close!

"Genetics," Narcissa replied. This time the younger was sitting with her back leaned against the elder's chest and just as snug as a bug in a rug with Narcissa's arm wrapped around her.

"No, like… Why we have five fingers, and five toes," she intertwined their fingers together. "And why our nose is on our face. Like, who decided to put it there?"

Narcissa laughed. God she was fucked up.

"That would be evolution," the older said with an amused tone. "Or that giant man in the sky, if you believe."

"I'm not religious," she hadn't been since she got her Hogwarts letter. "But my gram is. Caused quite the fuss when she found out about me."

That was saying it mildly.

Hermione was a logical thinker. She had seen lots of 'miracles' in the form of spells, enchantments, potions and the like. Miracles that she could prove and disprove at the same time. Yet her grandmother had been conservative on the issue of what constituted as a 'miracle of God's work' and what crossed the line as 'Devil's magic.'

As horrible as it sounded, she had been almost relieved when her grandmother didn't recognize her back then.

"There's always one in every family," Narcissa sighed. Or two, or three. Hell, her family had a whole basketful of 'em.

"Is it.. Bad? To dislike a family member?" Hermione asked. She was raised to believe respect equated to toleration, especially in regards to elders.

Which meant every goddamn Christmas she had to hear, "Oh, it's you," and take it with a grain of salt.

"Not in the least," the older scooted until they were laying back to chest. "Family or not, they're still human. And humans can be real shitty at times."

"Ain't that the truth," Hermione agreed.

There was a sound outside, a door slamming shut. And another one followed.

Narcissa bopped her nose. "You've improved."

Hermione giggled. "Improved on what?"

"Recognizing your emotions."

"I have?"

"Mmmhmm," Of course it was all thanks to her 'special' potion. Momma Malfoy was actually proud. She made a mental note to send her off with an extra bottle; she had a feeling Bella would enjoy the fuck out of this. "We should have you practice spells. I could ask Lucius-"

"Mother? _Granger_?" The paled face of Draco Malfoy appeared in the doorway, his mouth gaped like a fish out of water. He pulled his wand and aimed it at the sofa. "What the hell is _Granger_ doing here?!"

"Draco, you prat," Hermione laughed and nodded a greeting his way. "Nice."

Oh, wait. Wasn't that supposed to be bad?

Narcissa, however, was up in a flash, wand pointed at Draco. Good Lord, he didn't know what was worse- the fact that she looked angry enough to curse him a new asshole, or the fact that she was actually protecting Hermione fucking Granger. What the fuck kind of Law and Order shit was going on in this house?!

"Dammit, Draco, can't you _move_ ," Astoria called behind him in all of her glorious pregnant rage. He held up a hand to shield his wife from entering.

"I want an explanation," Draco ordered. " _Now_."

"I'll give you an explanation alright," Momma Malfoy was _piiiissed_. "Who the _hell_ shows up for a visit unannounced?!"

There was no fucking pleasing this woman! First she got onto him for not coming around anymore; and when he finally decides to surprise her with a nice family visit, she pulls her wand on him like some kind of home invasion case?!

"I thought we'd all enjoy a nice lunch," Draco said through grit teeth. "Astoria and I had to drive for _t_ _hree hours_ \- Nevermind that, why the hell are you harboring a fugitive here?!"

"Uh oh," Astoria gripped her belly.

"What I do in my house is _none_ of your business!" Narcissa shouted, which in Momma speak translated to 'Bitch I'm grown I can do what the fuck I want.'

"It kinda is my business when a criminal is involved!" Draco shouted back.

'Goddamn Peacock' did not care for all the noise. His nap had been disturbed and he was so done. He ruffled his feather and aggressively charged towards Draco, pecking as much of his leg as he could reach.

"Dray," Astoria seemed in a panic. Draco couldn't hear her due to being assaulted by a deadly beak.

He ran around the living room with 'Goddamn Peacock' high on his ass and shouted, "They could have your wands for this! Both you and Father!"

Hermione was laughing her fucking ass off. This shit was better than the Kardashian Muggles on T.V.

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!"

Well, she had their attention now. Even 'Goddamn Peacock' stopped and tilted his head in her direction. All eyes were directed to Astoria who was dancing up and down in the hallway holding the bump of her stomach.

"My water just broke."

Awwwww shit, son. Hermione was up in a flash. Narcissa went from 'angry savage' to 'mother hen' in 0.2 seconds flat. She shoved Draco out the way to usher Astoria in and down on the sofa.

"We need to get to a hospital," Astoria groaned. She was sweaty and huffy and in all sorts of pain and she really wanted to hex the fuck out of Draco right now.

"Too far, love," Narcissa wiped her forehead. "The nearest Muggle hospital would take an hour trip, and you can't Apparate with my grandson on the way."

Draco and Hermione shared the same look of doom. That meant this baby was coming right here, right now.

"Towels," Narcissa hissed to both of them. "I need towels and hot water!"

"Right! Um," Hermione jumped. She looked at Draco, who was looking at Astoria like she had sprouted a third eye. She waved her hand to get his attention. "I'll get the water, you get the towels."

While they fussed around each other Narcissa was busy with her wand. She reclined the sofa, propped pillows under Astoria's legs, all the stops to make her as comfortable as possible. By the time Hermione and Draco met back up, Astoria was spread like a turkey ready for stuffing.

"Oh, oh God," Draco shielded his eyes. Jesus fucking Christ this was really happening. "Oh God, oh God, oh God!"

"Hermione," Narcissa called since it was apparent Twitwit Malfoy would not be any help. "Spread a towel over her forehead while I prep her."

Hermione was gentle as she could be, but really. What the hell did she know about delivering babies?! Abso-fucking-lutely nothing, that's what! She watched as Narcissa massaged Astoria's legs with her hands. They were glowing green.

Narcissa caught her surprised look. "You didn't think my sister was the only one who could use wandless magic, did you?" she whispered with a wink.

Astoria howled out in pain, then started huffing like crazy. 'Goddamn Peacock' decided it was time to run his annual sprint across the living room and knocking shit down like a ruffian toddler.

"She's going into labor," Narcissa announced. Draco looked like he was going to faint any second.

"What the _hell_ is going on in here?" Lucius came up from the basement, gloves and ladle dripping potion in hand. He didn't know what the fuck was happening but he heard screaming and a lot of running. He hoped Narcissa hadn't gotten too stoned and thought she was going to die again.

Upon seeing Astoria spread on the sofa like that, he quickly wished it had been Narcissa being too stoned again.

"HE'S COMING!" Astoria screamed. Draco fainted.

Lucius ran to catch his son but Narcissa stopped him, "Leave him! Right now Astoria needs our full attention!"

"Granger, ask Severus for a Calming, Numbing, and extra strength Pain potion," Lucius went scurrying to Astoria's side. She grabbed his hand and squeezed like she wanted to brake it for making such an incompetent sack of crap for a son.

Hermione was handling it pretty well, considering. She rushed down the basement and jumped the last two steps.

"Granger?" Severus was scribbling on some paper while the cauldron bubbled and popped. "What's the-"

"Draco and Astoria showed up and now Astoria's in labor and Lucius sent me down here to get a Calming, Numbing, and Pain potion! Extra strength!"

She totally understood his 'what the fuck' face. She really did.

A dash later she was back up the steps, potions in hand.

"Astoria, sweetheart," Narcissa cooed in her sweetest motherly voice, "My favorite daughter- in- law," Lucius rolled his eyes, she was their _o_ _nly_ daughter- in- law. "Look at me, darling."

Astoria struggled to raise her head.

"If you don't start pushing _right now_ , I'm going to shove my hands inside your vagina and pull my grandson out by force!"

Momma Malfoy was on a high win streak today.

Hermione passed each potion to Lucius, who dosed them to the poor suffering woman. She started pushing.

"That's a good girl," Narcissa was fucking ready. "Head's crowning, keep it up."

'Goddamn Peacock' had a good interest in Draco's face, particularly his nose. He gave it one good peck and the boy sat up screeching out in pain.

A blur of black came from behind Hermione and tackled the fuck out 'Goddamn Peacock' like a linebacker running a football play. Lucius scowled.

"Don't hurt him, Severus!"

Draco sat up to see Severus Snape locked in a WWE death match with 'Goddamn Peacock'. His mind was slow to make the connection but it got there. Eventually.

"Father!" he shouted in disbelief, "Don't tell me you've been the one-!"

Sweet Lord Jesus in heaven. This just went from 'Law and Order' to full on 'Cops.' Draco fainted again.

"Keep pushing, love, body's almost there!" Narcissa was a little too excited, but could you blame her?

Oh, oh God. Hermione saw blood.

"Come with me, Granger," Severus hauled 'Goddamn Peacock' and made his way to the basement. "Narcissa has this well under control."

-))*((-

Bella was seriously about to lose her faith and cut a bitch.

All she needed to do was pay her stupid fucking electricity bill, which she could have done from the comfort of her own home _if_ her fucking internet hadn't been down for three days now and her bitch ass phone charger hadn't broke apart at the clip. Now she had this old dinosaur Nokia from the 90's and the only thing this fucker was good for was ringing. She couldn't even answer a call if it came through but thank fuck the only calls she expected anyway were from the ER.

But this shit, this complete load of horse shit staring her in the face right now, made her question how the fuck Muggles survived. Like, have you ever had to stand in a line so long that it wrapped around the entire goddamn building and into the parking lot of a used car dealership that was literally an entire field away, JUST to pay people you don't even know for a service you can't live without?!

Who the fuck regulates this shit?!

As if it were bad enough that she was already a week past due because she hadn't had the energy nor motivation to do anything more than stare at the side of her bed that felt way too cold and empty, now she had to actually communicate with someone face to face and _not_ get paid for it. The pure thought made her cringe like someone was grating dirty chalk down an old school board.

And let's just talk about these horrific Muggles while we're on the subject, shall we?! The woman in front of her was wearing a goddamn nightgown, bath cap, and plastic flip flops like she just literally walked here in her fucking sleep. The god awful pig of a man behind her couldn't stop staring her backside up and down like a piece of hot bacon sizzling in a skillet while his snot nosed little brat of a son kept kicking her shins because her boots had chains on them and he liked the way they rattled against the leather. The stench of sweat loomed overhead like a fucking garbage receptacle. Someone two bodies back didn't know how to cover their mouth when they coughed. These people were fucking disgusting. She made several mental notes to disinfect when she got home, and boy were her hands already itching to do some _massive_ cleaning.

She was so done.

Just then pig boy behind her decided to wolf whistle and cat call her attention.

"Mmmmmm- whee. Damn mama, you lookin' fine as wine. What's a man gotta do to call you mine?"

That's it. She'd gladly live in darkness for the rest of her entire LIFE than stand here and tolerate this bullshit another fucking minute.

But she wasn't about to leave before setting the record straight with junior baby son- of- a- bitch and his daddy's weak ass pick up lines.

"You're not so bad yourself," she turned with a smirk and gave him an irresistible wink over the rim of her shades, " _Big boy_."

"Aw, yeah?" a stupid grin spread across his dumb face, "Cool, cool. So, hey. Wanna maybe meet up sometime? I can make some magic happen anytime this week if you're not busy, mami."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Bella stepped close so they were practically lip to lip. He slid an arm around her waist and got a good helping of Bella booty in his hands. Despite her internal rage factor having reached its peak, Bella slid her arm around his neck, touching as much of him as she could in doing so. "I can make some _magic_ happen right now."

"Oh, damn baby," he smacked his lips like hog eating chips. "You forreal?"

"Oh yeah," she cooed from the side of his neck and trailed her fingers down his chest. "Wanna see?"

Bella took a good handful of his junk, balls and all, and twisted as hard as she could manage, which, in her humble opinion, was still too fucking soft. He turned the precise shade of pink as a ripe virgin asshole.

"Mmm, isn't that just _magical_?" She got a good look of his face as he cried out in pain. "By the way, you're not my type, _baby_." She gave him two good slaps on his cheek for good measure. "I have a girlfriend."

While he was doubled over from having his potential sperm count drop to about a good solid 0, Bella kicked the fuck out his son and knocked his legs from under him. He fell on his butt and started crying. Did she feel bad about it? God fucking hell no. She just taught that fucker a valuable life lesson. Don't fucking kick other people and you won't get kicked back you little shit.

She then marched her way over with the air of a goddamn Goddess to inspect a motorcycle from the used car lot that had caught her attention.

She'd be damned if she wasn't getting something good out of this shit today.

-))*((-

"Have you ever brewed _Incaendium_ before?"

Severus hadn't spoken a word to her in a half hour, yet Hermione had jars of ingredients swirling on their own like she clearly knew what she was doing. This was not your typical textbook potion, either. It needed to be exact, down to the last pinch. And here she stood in perfect concentration without needing further instruction from him in the least.

"No," She replied without looking up. She couldn't explain it, but she could feel the pulse of everything in this room right now. Every stock of powder, dust, root, animal appendage, every single magical contact left a residue and she could see it all.

She summoned a jar of Mugwort roots and took out three helpings.

"You got these from Bella?" She asked as she placed them in the brew. Her magic was all over them. It was like a dark violet color and ugh it even smelled like her perfume inside the jar. She smiled, that was definitely her Bella alright.

"Yes," came his elongated reply. He watched her carefully.

She stirred the cauldron with a lovely vibrant tail feather from 'Goddamn Peacock', who was now resting in a magical barrier she cast to stop him from running around like, well, a wild fucking peacock.

"I just can't figure out why you need the feather," Hermione closed her eyes. It didn't feel right. The energy flowed in the opposite direction so she switched her stirring to match the current.

"The male specimen of Asiatic Indian peafowls are extremely rare," Severus stated as he walked over to inspect the brew. It was the best shade of golden yellow it could possibly be. "Their feathers also hold a certain rare magical property that is widely sought after. The ability of camouflage."

Hermione kept her eyes closed but her brows furrowed. "You mean like invisibility?"

"Yes," he replied. "It allows a potion to become undetectable to sensory type magics."

Which was why their little hub was so popular in the black market these days.

"How long has Bellatrix been grooming you in the ways of dark magic, Granger?" He sat back against the small table with his arms folded.

"Almost seven months," she was too focused to hesitate her answer.

"She has taught you well."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm shit at it. Can't even hold a simple illusion spell properly anymore."

She kicked the tile to the left and turned the flame down to a simmer. Tiny bubbles started forming at the top.

Severus pursed his lips. Of course she'd been shit at first, she was a bumbling ball of emotional mess who ran away from everything she felt. Learning about how your emotions affect magic was only half the battle; you have to actually face them, confront them head on, and deal with them as they come. Only then would dark magic bend so effortlessly to a person's will, as it was for her now.

And she hadn't even recognized it.

In all fairness, Severus suspected that was the remnants of the 'special' potion at play. Lucius did say it was to be used for meditation, after all.

"It's frustrating," she said without provocation. "After searching for so long to find a counter spell that can reverse my dad's condition, and after training for so long to use it, I find that I'm not at all compatible with dark magic to actually go and pull it off."

Severus usually was not the type to prod, but there was one thing bothering him since he'd learned she was studying Dark Arts.

"What spell were you inquiring?"

Hermione calmly sighed. She summoned a jar of Blackwood Powder and added the tiniest pinch to the brew.

" _Vacuus Mens_ should allow me to erase the excess magic from the first time I tried to restore his memories with _Apertum Caligo._ "

Woah there hot cakes. Severus blinked. That was really dark magic for a simple memory transfer.

"Why not use a simple _Memoria Restituom_?"

She shook her head. "Because when I Obliviated them back when we left to hunt Horcruxes, I fucked it up by mistake. I realized when I went searching for them, when none of my relatives knew who I was. It was like I had wiped myself off the face of the earth."

" _Obliviscere_ ," Severus stated. It was a variant. The two were almost identical in practice yet held extremely different results.

"Exactly," she stated. "Instead of giving them new identities, the spell I cast erased mine from theirs, completely. _Memoria Restituom_ didn't work when I tried it."

Not just that, but Obliviscere had a subsequent effect that connected with each bit of blood relative she had. She had no idea she'd even cast a spell that powerful.

"It took me two years to find the right counter for it, _Apertum Caligo_ ," she laughed and closed her eyes again. The potion was telling her it needed time to sit. She listened to the way it seemed to hum. "I traced its origins all the way to a sarcophagus in Egypt. But I hadn't known how fucking difficult the magic was to control. It's so precise, down to the last margin."

He was surprised that she'd gone that far and actually found it. It was riddled with ancient sorcery even today's magic could not compare to, and it was hidden for a reason. Too many casualties resulted in those attempting to master it.

"You managed to decipher the text all on your own?"

"Of course."

Severus was impressed. This curse was something that allowed one to push and pull high concentrations of magic through the brain. But it was never that easy. A balance between force of magic and pull of will was needed if one was to succeed. Too much magic and not enough will could explode the brain, not enough magic and too much will could drive a person to insanity. Granger wouldn't have been able to perform the spell before; but now, as he watched her work in perfect synergy between both force and pull, Severus surmised she would undoubtedly pass.

"It's been almost eleven years and I'm still just as lost as I was then," Hermione sighed and finally opened her eyes. The brew was turning red. "I'd do anything to bring him back."

A silence settled over them and Hermione took the opportunity to wipe her hands and face. Severus handed her a glass of ice water.

"You may be closer to your goal than initially thought."

"What do you mean?" She asked around a big gulp.

He glanced at the potion which was now shimmering dark red and crusting at the top, thick in consistency like lava. "You've just brewed a very advanced dark potion with hardly any instruction at all."

"Well, yeah, but that's because I can see-"

She could _see_. Holy shit, looking at Severus just now she could actually _see_ his magic.

It was black, just like his hair, his eyes, his robes, and his soul.

Huh. Imagine that.

"Better than Lucius, might I add," Snape said with a nod.

"A rhinoceros would be better than Lucius," Hermione smiled with a roll of her eyes.

Snape definitely fucking agreed with that.

The basement door slammed open and despite Narcissa's calls of "There's nothing down there you need to see!" Draco came clumsily barreling down the steps with an ice pack to his nose. Momma Malfoy was right on his tail.

"Unbelievable," he groaned out as he took a look at the Malfoy Mafia Meeting Room. "All this time, it's been here _all this time!_ "

"Draco-"

He held up a hand to shush his mother. She glared at him.

"I didn't come down here to seize, although I'm sure Weasley would jump at the opportunity to do so," he wrinkled his nose in distaste to his partner's rather aggressive streak lately. "I came down here to give you this, Severus," he handed Snape an envelope. Snape accepted and examined the tiny parcel. On the back was not the Ministry's insignia, but a wax stamped seal from the Minister himself. He quickly opened it with care.

"And to tell you, Granger," Draco now turned to Hermione, who was smiling because she could see Draco's magic. It was pink. "That I still need to take you into custody. You've been on the run for ten elusive years and have caused us a bit of grief," he paused wondering what the fuck she was grinning so hard about. "The Minister would be pleased to know that you've been found."

"Draco, you can't," Narcissa glared. "She is a member of this family."

Sweet dragon balls, Draco looked like his eyes could pop at the seams any moment.

" _What_?" Draco asked incredulously, "Mother, you can't be serious."

"You heard me," she stood in front of Hermione with her arms folded, "I've adopted her as my daughter."

"What?!" This time it was Hermione and Draco in unison. Only Hermione's face had flushed about twelve shades of dark red. This… Was a disaster. Draco wanted to puke.

"No one here will be taken into custody today," Severus intervened and handed Draco the letter he just read through about half a million times. "Tomorrow I will escort Miss Granger to the Minister to have a discussion on her case."

Hermione looked about as confused as an apple growing on a pear tree.

Draco furrowed his brow, huffed, rolled the parchment, and handed it back to Severus.

"Fine. Do as you please," He rubbed his head and turned towards the stairs. "As soon as Astoria wakes, we are leaving."

"Oh, did she pick a name?" Hermione had almost forgotten that she halfway helped deliver a baby a few hours ago.

"Abraxas," Narcissa smiled. "Draco's not too keen on it-"

"She never tells me anything!" Draco hissed from the top of the stairs, followed by mumbles of "What the hell is even going on in this house, I swear," and "Don't even know my own parents anymore, Jesus fuck."

"-But Lucius won't shut up about it," Narcissa winked to Hermione and brought her into a warm embrace. "Come up and meet him anytime, love."

"And you," she turned to Severus with a curious expression, "You know something, don't you?"

"Now is not the time to rest," his eyes had a hard look to them. "This is only the beginning."

-))*((-

Spell List:

Incaendium- Liquid Fire

Vacuus Mens- Empty Mind

Apertum Caligo- Through the Fog

Memoria Restituom- Restored Memory

Just a note, this chapter and the next are tied as my favorites. Something about Bella in Muggle life situations just makes my entire day.


	11. Chapter Nine- Amends

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Nine- Amends_

-))*((-

It was too fucking bright and too fucking early for Hermione's tastes as she and Severus made their way through the mess of witches and wizards who didn't know how to pick a goddamn side when walking in a public forum. I mean, Jesus fucking Christ, how hard is it people?! Left if you're coming, right if you're going! Hermione had been bumped into so many times that now she was starting to shove back. Fuck it. She almost sent one poor soul flying into the fountain.

They finally reached the elevator, thank fuck for that. Hermione was already in a right foul mood because 'Goddamn Peacock' decided to spend the entire night _cooing_ up and down the hallway by her door. Narcissa looked 'bout ready to fire up the skillets when Hermione caught a glance at them this morning. Lucius was baby talking him like some slick peacock pimp Sugar Daddy. Hermione stepped in the elevator with an envelope full of papers, Severus followed with a suspicious thick ass fucking file folder that had a full blown padlock on it. Knowing that he was the supreme overlord behind Malfoy Mafia, Hermione was not about to ask questions. Nope, nuh uh, _hell no_. She was not about to be the next target of a neighborhood drive by.

The elevator pinged and stopped at the third floor.

"This is where we part, Miss Granger," Severus stepped from the shaft. "As much as it pains me to say this-" really, it did. He loved it when Harry got his ass chewed out- "Try not to be too hard on Mister Potter when you see him. At the core, he means well. He's just-" he scrunched his face trying to find the right word, and Jesus Christ there were too many. Idiotic, careless, foolhardy, witless, simple-minded, brainless, unfocused, ill prepared, empty headed, thick, moronic, baboonish, and a goddamn twink with the ass of Adonis.

"Potter," he finished his original thought with a passive look on his face. He still had it when the elevator closed.

Hermione emerged on the eighth floor a few seconds later with a less than friendly attitude. Not even waiting for Mary Anne to alert Harry to her arrival, she marched right in his office and slammed the door behind herself.

"Minister, Hermione Granger is here to see you," Mary Anne rang from his speaker.

"Yes, I can see her in my office right now," He was staring her right in the face you fucking animal. This is what drove him to drink on a daily basis. "Thank you, Mary Anne."

For a while they just stood there in awkward silence. Harry could see she was angrily huffing like she was ready to explode at any moment. At this point he just naturally woke up every day expecting to be yelled at. Made his life somewhat easier to deal with.

"'Mione, where have you been?" Somebody had to break the silence.

"You don't get to call me that, _Mister Potter,"_ she spat with a glare that could kill.

"Hermione, please," Harry walked over to his conference table and pulled out a seat. "Let's sit and have a talk. Catch up-"

"You've been hunting me for ten years and now you want to _c_ _atch up_?!"

No, bitch. This was not an episode of Friends. Monica and Chandler are divorced, Ross and Rachael married out of wedlock and spend their nights having affairs with other people, and Phoebe and Joey are just fine because they were the only two decent ones on the show.

"No, I've been looking for you-"

"So you can snap my wand and haul me off to Azkaban like Kingsley tried to?!"

Eyes averted, Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knew this day would come when he'd have to rectify his first and most damaging mistake since becoming a politician.

And that mistake would be 'putting your job before the most important people in your life.'

"You didn't even try to appeal my case, did you?" Hermione had her arms folded, leg pushed out, and foot tapping on his gold trimmed area rug.

"You were already gone," Harry said without looking up. "I couldn't appeal a wanted criminal turned fugitive."

"But I'm not a criminal, Harry," she threw her envelope on the table. It slid and all her papers fell out at his hands. "I've been through hell just to find a way to reverse the curse I put on him. Would a criminal do that?"

Harry sorted through the papers. Her recognizable script invaded many pages and margins.

"No," Harry finally looked at her. "But you still need to be here, Hermione. There's a proper way to do this."

"I tried the proper way!" Hermione waved her arms in the air feeling every bit as pissed off as he made it sound 'easy'. "Kingsley painted me as some Muggle killing monster because of it!"

"You pled guilty, what was I supposed to do?"

"Because I _felt_ guilty!" Hermione shouted with tears in her eyes. "Not a single one of you stepped in for my defense! I was your best friend, Harry. I thought of you as a brother, the only conscious living relative I had left! And you couldn't even get your head out of your ass long enough to see I needed your help!"

"Hermione, you didn't speak for months," Harry truly hated seeing her so upset. Even more so when he knew she was right. "All we had to go by was the statement and reports from the Aurors who found you. When they questioned you, you told them you had done it on purpose, that you killed her. That's on par with a confession," he shook his head and gave her a sincere look. "There was nothing I could have done or said that would have swayed the Courts. I was nowhere near as influential back then to have handled something that big."

"Then handle it now," she wiped her eyes and finally took a seat. She shoved her papers towards him. "Help me fix this and get my father back."

He stared at her for a good long minute. She had bags under her eyes, and her clothes seemed a little baggy and worn. He could tell she wasn't lying when she said she'd been through hell. He couldn't imagine the weight of her heart that would drive her this far. She was nothing like the Hermione he remembered, and yet she was. Because she was still fierce and fighting for another day.

"Please, Harry," she begged, her gaze desperate. "This is the only obstacle I have left."

There was silence as Harry perused through the documents she gathered for him.

"This is dark magic, Hermione," Harry said after a while. "Extremely dark. Are you sure you could manage? Even if you could, the Council would never-"

He was interrupted as the door to his office flew open. In strut Severus with the same dead bolted folder from earlier and a rolled parchment in his hands.

"Minister, Severus Snape is here to see you," Mary Anne buzzed.

Harry suddenly had a migraine and a craving for some very strong alcohol.

"Severus, could you wait outside please?" His voice was stern but the way he looked at Severus could be taken otherwise. "Hermione and I are in the middle of a meeting."

"I am well informed to Miss Granger's situation," Snape handed him the rolled parchment. "And as your new Deputy Minister, I have a solution."

Harry threw him a curious look as he unrolled and read the scroll.

"This is-"

"A Writ of Tempus," Severus now turned to Hermione, " It would allow Miss Granger a chance to perform the task originally intended under the supervision of the Ministry; and if sufficient evidence is present, allow for a Writ of Certiorari to reopen Miss Granger's case before the Courts. With proper representation, might I add."

Harry read through the entire paper as he spoke.

"If the procedure goes well, which you have my fullest guarantee that it will, Miss Granger will have proved beyond probable cause that she is not a threat to Muggle society and therefore her sentence will be declared null and void."

Hermione's jaw dropped. She stared at him like he was a fucking God.

"How the hell did you get them to act so fast?" Harry had a similar expression as he rolled the paper and handed it to Hermione. The Council always took _months_ of useless bickering they called 'deliberation' before they could ever unanimously decide on anything. For them to give Severus something this detailed in a matter of minutes was a miracle on par with sweet little 9 lb 3 oz baby Jesus himself!

Severus made a show of rolling his cuffs in a professional manner. His eyes were locked with Harry's. "I have my methods, Minister."

Oh, you best believe he had dirt on all those old fuddy duddy bastards who thought themselves 'above the law.' Every single one of them. Who run the world? Severus Snape, bitches.

"Aha, is that so?" Harry folded his arms and sat back with a coy little smile. "I see you've wasted no time fitting right in to your new position, _Deputy_."

"Politics is a game, Mister Potter," Severus held his gaze. "I shall do my best to _teach_ you how it is played-" oh, he'd be teaching him something, alright- "Let us hope you can _keep up_ with the lessons."

"Ahem," Hermione suddenly felt like the training pads on an adult Big Wheel. "So, about my request-"

"Approved," Harry spoke without looking her way.

Hermione held her chest. Holy shit, she felt like she was going to faint. She laughed in relief, and felt like crying, but she could wait to do that.

"Thank you, both of you," she originally meant it for Severus, but his words about Harry meaning well rang in her mind. Harry truly did mean well.

He was just an idiot at times.

"I believe it would be in your best interest, Miss Granger, to get some rest," There was a strange phenomena happening where neither Severus nor Harry could take their eyes off each other at the moment. Not that Hermione was complaining when it swayed the results in her favor; she was just itching to get the hell away so she didn't have to be in the middle of it. "The date has been set for tomorrow at noon."

Holy shit. He was not playing around, was he?

"And do tell Narcissa to get rid of that bloody bird."

She laughed from the doorway. "Will do, Sir."

"What's so funny, Granger?" Draco asked from where he leaned against the tall window of Mary Anne's desk. Hermione closed the door to Harry's office and turned to face him with the brightest smile she could gather.

"The fact that your magical aura is pink, Malfoy." The resulting scowl and fluster caused her to practically skip to the elevator. She waved 'ta ta!' from behind the closing doors.

Back in Harry's office, both men were now standing face to face.

"You accepted my proposition," Harry's voice was full of questioning wonder.

"You expected otherwise?" Severus raised an eyebrow. Neither seemed aware that they were steadily moving towards the other.

"I wasn't sure how you felt about working under me, given our history and all."

"I can assure you, I have no intentions of doing anything _under_ you that you have not asked for." He reached out and adjusted Harry's tie. "But I am curious as to why you would go that far, _Minister_. I only asked you to revise a bill."

Harry's eyes slid to half lids as Severus slid a hand down his chest. Severus could feel him purring. Suddenly the nickname 'kitten' didn't seem too far of a stretch after all.

"Why wouldn't I go that far? You're an idealist, like me. Outspoken, but you're very passionate about your ethics," he closed his eyes once he felt Severus pull him closer by his tie. "This is about more than just the Reform Bill. I took an interest in politics because I wanted to change our world. A little over a decade later and I've realized that nothing has changed, Severus. It's always a fight, I fight to get something heard, and I fight to get something passed. Nobody listens to me and it takes months and months before anything actually gets done. It's tiring, and it ticks me off." Harry furrowed his brows and shook his head in frustration. Severus picked up on his tension, however, and slid his fingers to hold the nape of his neck and tilt his chin up in a tender fashion.

"But you, you demand results," Harry continued despite Severus kissing up his jaw, "And you don't stop until you get them. If I want to bring a change, then I need you to help me," he opened his eyes to see Severus giving him a very heated look. "I want you to help me. I-If you'll have me, that is."

He was already plotting the first hundred ways to eat roasted Potter ass over an open fire.

"I think our first order of business shall be to discuss electing a new cabinet to the Council. Most of the representatives you've harbored have served since Fudge," Severus led Harry backwards until he was pressed against his desk. Harry leaned back without resisting. "Which makes it relatively easy to pass old corruptions into a new age."

"I thought it'd be a good idea to keep them for their experience," Harry blushed, both from his mistake and the fact that Snape was currently burning him up. His hands were already under his shirt, but they were not in a hurry to move.

Out in the lobby, Mary Anne's buzzer suddenly went off.

"Ah, yes," Draco and Mary Anne heard Snape say. "While true those who hold experience can be beneficial, you no longer have need for their uses. Not when you have me."

"What's going on?" Draco asked and looked at the curious Muggle contraption Harry recently installed after insisting it would be an upgrade for everyone involved.

Mary Anne shook her head and frantically tried to buzz into his office but with Harry's hand over the 'speaker' button, her calls weren't getting through.

"Please kiss me," Harry finally asked after he had been cat fishing his lips but each time Snape had pulled back just before he could latch on.

"Now now, Minister," Severus teased with his trademark smirk. "Once again your priorities are mixed. Besides," he spoke from mere inches from Harry's lips. "Why ever would I be caught in an act so scandalous?"

"What the hell is going on in there?" Draco now had a look of pure disgust. Why couldn't she get that damn thing to shut off?!

"Oh, Severus," they heard Harry pant. "Please."

BANG BANG BANG

"OI! GET YOUR BLOODY HANDS OFF THE SPEAKER, POTTER!"

Harry finally looked down and saw the tell tale red light blinking on his box. He blushed and quickly adjusted himself.

"Oh, no," Harry groaned. "Severus, I'm so-"

Snape kissed him anyway.

-))*((-

All Bella wanted was a tub of ice cream.

That's it, that's all she wanted. Just a single tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream to use and abuse from the comforts of her own home.

Apparently the universe decided that was too much to ask for. The goddamn freezer door of the frozen food section was glued shut.

As if she hadn't already had the shittiest day of her life.

No no, I mean that literally.

Earlier at work she had to remove a bowling pin from a clown's asshole in what he described as a "freak juggling accident", which took way longer than it should have due to her ditz of an assistant, Mindy, who somehow got it in her mind that he needed to shit the damn thing out and gave him extra strength Pepto Bismal to 'help it come out easier.'

Bella had never been so happy to fire someone.

Ever.

She'd finally gotten the lights and Internet fixed and bought a new charger but none of it mattered because she'd forgotten that her phone wallpaper was a picture of Hermione she snapped one late night she found her sleeping like an angel on Bella's side of the bed wrapped around her pillow. She'd tried to delete it but every time her fingers would hesitate because goddammit look at her. She's so fucking adorable you can't help but want to kiss the pout right off her lips. Instead she'd thrown her phone at the wall and left it where it fell.

The living room was worse because of this stupid fucking obscenely childish 'My Little Pony' poster Hermione'd stuck on the wall after Bella lost a bet they'd made a few months back about who could drink the most eggnog and not get sick. Strewn all over the place were blankets and little knicknacks they'd bought together from an old Muggle pottery barn warehouse, despite the fact that Bella hated window shopping with a fiery passion but the way Hermione'd smile when she saw something she liked made the trip well worth the hassle.

And the kitchen, her sanctuary, had even been ruined because now when she'd cook she'd miss Hermione propped up on the counter rambling on and on about insignificant bullshit that Bella could give two fucks in the wind for, but she'd loved the way her voice would totally squeak when she was too excited about something.

And here she just had one of the worst shifts of her life and no one even fucking cared anymore. She'd cried for a good hour and she wasn't even drunk.

Which brings us to where she was currently about to commit armed robbery to this freezer door just to get a tub of ice cream so she could go home and cry even more.

It was like a goddamn conspiracy.

She was banging her head on the door, minding her own business and not bothering a damn soul, when suddenly she felt someone take a mighty helping of Bella booty in the palm of their hand.

And had the audacity to squeeze it.

"Careful, honey," a feminine voice she easily recognized called in her ear, "You know what they say. 'A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.'"

"Cissy," Bella hissed without turning, "Get your dirty rotten hands off of my ass."

Hmmmm, nope. Dat ass felt firm as fuck. Damn, how long had it been? Had she been working out? Jesus. Besides, Narcissa had seen her eying that mint chocolate chip from afar and that was not a good sign. Terrible fucking taste. Who the hell wanted goddamn minty spearmint shit with their chocolate?!

Narcissa took another good squeeze of that ass. Bella jumped and finally faced her with a long list of obscenities at the ready.

But then she froze mid sentence and just stared at her ridiculous little sister.

"What the fuck are you wearing?"

I'll tell you what she was wearing. An old, worn, but still fashionable neon pink onesie jumpsuit that looked fresh from a 1986 catalogue of Vogue Magazine. Even complete with matching belt and boots.

"What, you mean my 'shopping suit'?" Narcissa asked with a cocky smile and wink. "I found it at a Muggle thrift shop for .99 cents."

Bella pushed her cart faaarrr and fast. Oh, heeeeelllll no. Not today.

"Bella, wait!" Cissy hissed and resorted to a light jog to catch up. "Don't I look like a normal Muggle?"

"We _lived_ through the 80's, you know," Bella hissed and turned down the cereal isle contemplating ways to humanely kill one's self. "If I wanted to be embarrassed I'd just look through some old yearbooks!"

Cissy had caught up and was now trying to get handfuls of Bella booty while walking.

"Don't you dare follow me!" Too late for that, Narcissa had that ass locked in sight. Bella finally stopped and slapped her on the thigh. "I have officially disowned you."

"Oh?" Narcissa fiddled with a box of 'Pranks', the off brand of 'Trix'. "But I have news you'd be interested in. Important news."

"Yeah? Let's hear it so you can be on your way," Bella snatched the box and put it in her cart. "I'm sure Emcee Escher is waiting for his suit back."

Ignoring her snooty attitude, Cissy leaned over the edge of the cart like a child sorting through candy.

"Your little _kitten_ has had quite the time lately." Bella rolled her eyes. "Delivering babies, partaking in certain illegal activities, mastering control of her emotions," Cissy paused and turned her gaze to Bella, "And even asked the Minister for permission to perform _Apertum Caligo_ on her father."

Bella went stiff.

"Why should I care?" She said and pushed her cart to the next isle. Rice and noodles, awesome. "Oh, right. I don't."

"It's obvious to me that you care a lot more than you're putting on," Narcissa replied right behind her like an annoying buzz of a bee.

Bella bit her lip. She feigned interest in debating between Kraft or Velveeta to hide the fact that she was actually really concerned. Granger had actually gone to see Potter? Was she really that confident? And what the hell happened in just two weeks that brought this on?! Didn't sound like she was having nearly as bad a time as Bella had been. Which irritated her even more. Here she was suffering from a goddamn broken heart while Hermione was canoodling with this band of world class idiots.

"For fuck's sake, you're pouting and making goo goo eyes at a box of Mac 'n Cheese," Narcissa taunted. "Why don't you go see her? She's been nothing but a wet sobbing mess since you two fought."

"What are you complaining for," Bella had no problem with the bitterness in her voice. She angrily stuffed both boxes in her basket. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

Narcissa stopped and thought about it.

"Yes."

Bella huffed in irritation and wheeled to the canned goods isle.

"Is that what this is about?" Once again Narcissa had to jog to catch up to her. "This isn't like you at all Bella, to be so territorial."

"No, that's _not_ what this is about," Bella absently shoved can after can of mixed veggies in with her other goodies.

"Then tell me what it _is_ about so I can _help you fix it_ ," Narcissa hissed and pinched her shoulder.

"There's nothing to fix," Bella tried to keep her voice even, which, Jesus Christ, why was it so hard? "I got my answer already."

Hermione had been pretty clear where she stood about it.

Momma Malfoy was very close to loosing her cool. These motherfuckers needed Cupid. Hello? God of Love, are you watching? Perfect target right here. Shoot your arrow and aim for the ass, its so thick you can't possibly miss.

"You call this nothing?" Bella tried to escape but Narcissa stopped the cart before she could move. "Bella you're a mess. Even with these goddamn shades on I can see you've been crying," Cissy yanked them off and got a good look at her eyes.

"Seven months of living together under the same roof, sleeping, eating, and annoying each other with your shitty attitudes and you call that _nothing_?"

"We had a deal," she felt every bit heartbroken as it sounded.

"And at what point does it stop being a 'deal' to become a 'partnership'?"

"You don't have to ask me that, okay?!" Some Muggles further down were suddenly really interested in why 'Cool Mom' was yelling at 'Unhip Grandma'. "I've been invested in this relationship since day one!"

Finally, some emotion underneath that thick skin. Narcissa sighed the weight of a thousand elephants off her chest.

"Then why don't you tell her? That's what she's waiting on, if you haven't noticed," Narcissa's voice softened at the sight of her sister so torn. "She absolutely loves you but has no idea if you feel the same. She only hesitates because you're a damn mystery to figure out."

Bella shook her head. She was not good at these things. I mean, first and foremost that intimidating aura of hers made it nearly impossible for anyone to stand her for more than what's absolutely necessary. Then the fact that she generally hated people and preferred to be an antisocial badass all the time. Factor in a horrific past she was trying to escape from and add trust issues and boom, you get this. Bellatrix fucking Lestrange on the verge of tears in a goddamn Muggle grocery store.

And she never did get her ice cream.

During the silence between the two sisters and if by another force of conspiracy, the Muggle radio overhead blasted through with the chorus of 'Blurred Lines' by Robin Thicke.

"Look, Bella," Narcissa walked over to console her broken sister. "You've always had this 'love is bullshit' attitude-"

"It is bullshit," Bella interrupted with a sniff and wipe of her eye.

Narcissa shook her head and gingerly stroked Bella's cheek. "It's not love that's got you all worked up. You have a lot of that inside you," she poked Bella's chest with her other hand. "It's being vulnerable. Showing that part of yourself to someone else, and trusting them with it."

"But I am vulnerable, Cissy," Jesus, she was a sobbing mess in the middle of the spaghetti sauce section. Can't get any more vulnerable than that.

"My sweet Bella," Narcissa sighed, pulled her into an embrace, and rubbed her back. "How is she supposed to know if you never show it?"

Bella desperately clung to her sister, 80's fashion gear and all.

"Her spell is set to perform at noon tomorrow. St. Mungo's, fifth floor," Narcissa tilted her chin up. "I can get you in, if you wish. Potter will be there. Severus too," she smirked. "You might want to talk to him."

Bella gave a weak chuckle. "Why exactly will Snape be there and why should I care to talk to him?"

Narcissa's eyes flashed. "Things aren't always as they seem to appear. By the way," she rummaged through the grocery cart and pulled out a tiny jar. "When the hell did you start liking anchovies?"

"Oh, my God, Cissy," she knocked the jar out of her hand. "I'm going home. I'm tired of being stared at like Kathy Ireland is standing right beside me."

"You're just going to leave the cart in the middle of the isle like this?"

Yes, yes she was going to be that asshole! She only came here for ice cream in the first place!

"You owe me some mint chocolate," Bella grabbed her wrist and yanked her along. "And a story. I want to know who the fuck gave birth and why my kitten had to help."

"Mmm, that reminds me….. Do you have use for a peacock?"

-))*((-

As an added fyi, a Writ of Tempus was something I made up to fit the story but a Writ of Certiorari is something that genuinely exists in the US judicial system.


	12. Chapter Ten- Alberta Ice Queen

_Loopholes_

 _Chapter Ten- Alberta Ice Queen_

 _Note: This is technically the last chapter, but there is an epilogue coming soon._

-))*((-

"'Mione, you sure you're okay?"

In all reality, no. She was not okay. She was a nervous fucking wreck, goddamn you Potter you call yourself the Minister of Magic but you can't see that your best friend is worried as shit right now?! Jesus Christ go sit in the corner and think about the mess that is your life you degenerate.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine," Hermione walked to the door. "I'm.. Going to wait in the hall."

There wasn't much to keep her mind distracted in this room where she, Harry, and Draco sat, but it wasn't like the hallway would be any better. She just wanted to be alone for a while. She crossed the empty floor and sat on a bench to resume her fretting in peace.

The double doors at the head of the hall swung and Severus approached with a mug of hot coffee.

"Drink up, Miss Granger," he handed her the mug. He'd been with her all morning and knew she hadn't had a single bite to eat yet. "You'll need your strength."

"Thank you," she accepted and took a sip. He disappeared into the room she'd just came from.

So, here it was. The day of reckoning. Harry had it set up so they could utilize one of the auditoriums where medical students were supervised through a two-way mirror room, that way Hermione could perform her spells without Harry, Severus, and Draco getting in the way. They'd be able to see and hear everything so if there was a problem they'd intervene right away. Her father was currently being prepped by the nurse that would serve as her aid in case emergency services were needed for either of them, and it was currently about a half hour before the time was set. They were all waiting in a spare auditorium to pass the time.

The problem was that Hermione felt nervous as ever having an audience. It was bad enough the last time she'd done this had been a complete mistake, but this time counted for more than just her father's recovery. Her freedom was also on the line. If she messed up this time, she'd lose it all. She didn't know if she were honestly prepared for this, but Severus had faith in her, something that she didn't take lightly. The man hardly ever praised anyone. That had to count for something.

BANG.

"Miss, you can't go back there!" a frantic voice from up front called. "You're not authorized-"

A flash of white came running up the hallway. Hermione was too distracted in her thoughts to notice when that flash ran right up to her, grabbed her arm, and stuffed her in the nearest room.

"Hey, who is that?" Harry asked as they watched Hermione get pulled into the mirrored side of the auditorium by a woman with short black hair and shades that covered most of her face. "She's wearing doctor robes but she's not one of ours…"

"What the hell are you doing here?!" they heard Hermione say through the speaker. She had an angry look to her eyes and seemed to hiss fire towards this mystery woman who was looking through the door's window to make sure she wasn't followed.

"I came to see how you were doing, kitten," Bella finally turned to Hermione and took a step towards her.

Hermione shoved her back. "Don't you 'kitten' me!"

"Kitten?" Harry glanced to Severus, who was currently smirking like a million dollar catfish. Draco was still trying to figure out who the hell this woman was. It wasn't his fault, though. He hadn't seen his aunt in a really, _r_ _eally_ long time.

Bella sighed and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets, "Hermione-"

"It's been _weeks,_ Bella," even though she was angry, Bella could hear the yearning hidden beneath the surface. " _Weeks_."

"Did she just say 'Bella'?" Harry was now eyeing the woman with a hard stare. "As in… Bellatrix Lestrange?"

Draco paled. Motherfucking Granger was like a goddamn epidemic these days! Jesus fucking Christ, he suddenly felt sick.

"I know how long its been," Bella's voice was low and rough and all sorts of broken. She removed her shades to look Hermione in the eye.

"You look like shit," Hermione did not feel like sugar coating it. When was the last time she slept? She stared for a good while into those eyes that seemed to beg her closer. "You've been crying."

Bella chanced a step forward and Hermione didn't move away.

"I miss you, kitten," She reached out to stroke her cheeks like she always did. She sighed a breath of relief when Hermione's eyes fluttered in return.

In Bella speak that translated to 'I'm sorry I kicked you out and I need you to come home.'

Draco gagged.

"What?!" Harry asked incredulously to Severus, who was still smirking.

"Why didn't you come sooner?" Hermione immediately wrapped her arms around her neck. God, it felt so good to be embraced like this again. Bella gripped her waist and shook her head into her shoulder. It was hard to admit. She was just stubborn like that.

"Why the hell are they hugging?!" Harry stood up in outrage. Severus quickly yanked him back down by the sleeve.

"Do not interfere, Mister Potter," his own eyes seemed to dazzle as their gazes met. "Let the scene play. You might find something… Interesting.. Has happened between the two."

Well Draco sure as fuck didn't want to find out what that 'something interesting' was, thank you very much. He ran out of the room holding his stomach. It was bad enough his Aunt was somehow _i_ _nvolved_ with Granger, but to hear them sweet talk each other was just about enough to give him demonic nightmares for the rest of his life.

"Harry's here," Hermione whispered in her ear. She took a deep breath of her perfume and couldn't help tangling her fingers through Bella's soft hair. "He can see you right now. Through that glass."

"He can?" Bella grinned. She turned to the glass and flipped them off.

"That sneaky little-"

Once again Severus had to stop Harry from leaving.

"Bella, this is serious," Hermione reprimanded by turning her cheek back to attention. "Why didn't you come under illusion?"

"These rooms are tapered to shred outside magic as soon as you enter," Bella shrugged and she could also admit how good it felt to be able to spread her fingers over Hermione's backside like this again. "I felt it the moment I stepped through the front barricades."

"And you came anyway?" Hermione gave her a serious look, then averted her gaze. "You.. You'd risk everything.. Just to see me?"

"Kitten," Bella pulled her chin up, then breathed along her neck, "You _a_ _re_ everything."

Hermione gasped. That was pretty much a confession of love if she'd ever heard one. And, oh, was she so happy to hear this one. Bella nicked along her bottom lip, savoring that taste before she took the lead into the most heated kiss they'd ever shared. She didn't feel like letting her go ever again. And Hermione was perfectly okay with that.

"Are they… Are they _kissing_?!" Harry was losing his mind. Or clearly going blind. There was no way in hell that Hermione was kissing Bellatrix Lestrange right now. Just no way. Nope, they were definitely NOT looking at each other with passionate, dreamy expressions plastered all over their faces like hot teenagers in a parked minivan. It was just his complete imagination. He'd need to see a doctor about it. Immediately.

What the FUCK was going on here?!

He looked at Severus, who, strangely, was looking at him.

"You know something about this, don't you?" Harry asked with his arms crossed. "And the fact that you defended Hermione yesterday tells me that you had a hand in this somehow."

"I am not responsible for Bellatrix arriving here today," Severus smiled like the true Slytherin he was. "However, I have a solution."

Ugh, of course he did. Harry rolled his eyes. "You have a solution for everything, don't you?"

"Naturally," Severus pulled his tie and brought his brat in for a kiss. "That is why you hired me, after all."

"I love you," Hermione panted from Bella's lips when she finally pulled away. She was all smiles, she didn't care if Bella said it back or not. After being kissed like that, she'd never have a doubt ever again. Her entire body was humming, from her neck that suddenly wanted to be claimed and marked, to her waist where Bella's hands lit fireworks wherever she touched, and to her core that was now desperate for the intimate contact it was so depraved of.

"Please, Bella," Hermione whispered, her eyes closed to the sensation. She couldn't control herself. "Take me. Right here, right now."

She heard Bella chuckle and felt her stroke along the rim of her well flushed cheeks. She nearly fainted, her knees were so weak. Her only thought was how much more of that touch she wanted and exactly where she wanted it.

"You need to focus," As much as Bella was purely delighted at the thought of spreading her kitten and giving Potter a good show, she knew where Hermione's priorities should have been instead. "You have more important things to worry about right now."

"No, no please," Hermione shook her head and squirmed. "I cant focus, not now. Not when all I can think about is how much I've missed your hands on me just like this." Hermione took hold of her hands and eased them up her torso ever so slowly.

Oh, this was not good. Bella bit her lip. Only Hermione could tempt her like this, and the younger witch knew exactly what she was doing. She saw that look Bella just threw at her. She wanted it just as much. Time to play a little dirty, then.

She placed ghost kisses up her woman's neck, drinking in the taste she longed for, and softly moaned, "Moooommyyy."

Bella threw her head back with an exhaled gasp. "Kiiitttennn."

"Mommy," she whispered and playfully nicked the shell of her ear. "Kitten needs you, mommy."

Bella panted right along with her, hands tugged along the inside of her shirt and pulled her down. Hard.

"Kitten needs her mommy right now," Hermione bit the spot right along the crevice of her neck where she knew was Bella's weakness and threw a leg around her waist in desperation. "Please."

That little witch. This was so not fair. Bella loved having her neck bitten but Hermione wasn't just biting, she was pleading, panting, and whimpering from that _o_ _ne spot_. That was a sure fire way to get yourself fucked into a coma. And what the hell was she hesitating for?! She was Bellatrix motherfucking Lestrange, the woman who fucked a man in the living room while his mother was making dinner in the kitchen!

That's it. She fucking asked for it.

"Five minutes is all you're getting," Bella growled and pushed them to the wall. She hauled Hermione up by the waist, slid her legs around but careful to keep them hidden under her robes, and released a deadly wave of bite marks up and down her whiny little kitten's neck. Hermione held on for dear life. It was exactly what she wanted.

"Five- ahhhnnn- minutes is all you neeeeed," probably not even that long, Hermione was already halfway there. It damn sure wouldn't take much to push her over the edge.

"Tell me they're not," Harry glanced beyond Severus, whose only present concern was kissing Potter stupid. "I can't watch this, Severus. I have to stop-"

"You shouldn't be watching them," Severus muttered darkly from his jaw, his hands already working loose Harry's belt and buttons. "You should be watching me."

"No, Severus-" Snape was kissing down his neck in a very hungry fashion as he worked his cock loose. "You can't possibly be suggesting that we-"

Severus put a finger to his mouth to shush him. He lowered himself until he were eye level with the pulsing hardness he clasped and set his scathing tongue in for a quick taste. His eyes turned up to Harry and with a dark sexy voice that could melt chocolate, he muttered, "I do believe we've done worse, _Harry_."

Severus never said his name like that before. Harry nearly came right then and there.

As if sensing he needed a filthy reminder, Severus set his lips in motion up and down his shaft. "Don't you remember? The night at the bar and those 'back rooms'?" He licked the underside and felt it tug. "The way you so graciously begged me for more as we watched other couples from our cove?"

"Fucking _i_ _mpossible_!" Harry covered his face to hide his blush and the fact that he was now hotter than the sun.

Back in the room, Bella had her thumbs slowly toying with the band of Hermione's jeans, fingers careful to touch as much skin as she could without hurrying the process. With each pass she felt Hermione tense even more. Finally she unclasped the button and slid the zipper free. She only hauled them halfway down her smooth silk thighs, her touch warm and tender, just enough to slide the palm of her hand in to cup her pantied sex. Hermione was already humping like a bunny ready to mate.

"Mommy's got a punishment for her little pet later," Bella could hardly contain herself, not with the way Hermione was practically begging at this point. She pulled the cloth aside and slowly massaged her entrance without sliding between the folds.

"No, punish me now, now please!" Hermione wasn't used to such a gentle touch. It drove her crazy with need and set her chest blazing. Her heart literally felt like it was on fire.

"No," Despite her kitten's desperate rocking, Bella managed to keep her fingers right where she wanted them. "This is just a taste of what mommy has planned for you."

Helpless to fight it, Hermione shook with little whines at the look Bella gave her.

"How could you think I never wanted you?" Bella's voice had grown desperate, needy. Hermione had never heard her sound so raw, so defenseless before. "After all the time we spent as Sascha and Laina, did you really think I'd just throw you away like that?"

Merlin's balls, what was she doing?! Whispering sweet nothings in her ear like a goddamn romance novel?! Oh, oh fuck, her ovaries were in overdrive. She couldn't even think properly to defend herself. She didn't even _w_ _ant_ to defend herself! This was a punishment she could take!

"You are _my_ kitten," Holy fuck, Hermione threw her head back and let Bella's words dance along her exposed skin. "You were always _my_ kitten."

"Oh, oh God," Hermione was close to tears, it felt so good. "Bella, yes, I'm yours, I'm yours!"

"Damn right, you are," she kissed along her chin and up to her parted lips. "Now come for mommy."

Hermione screamed so loud even Draco could hear her from the hallway. He stuffed his hands on his ears and banged his head against the wall.

Harry, on the other hand, was doing some tall shouting of his own as Severus had him pinned and devilishly worked him to a quick orgasm. His tongue had many talents besides throwing insults at the drop of a dime, and Severus knew how to use them quite efficiently if he could say so himself.

"I think that was a record," Bella smiled from her favorite place between Hermione's neck. "Two minutes, kitten."

She brought her fingers to her mouth and licked the essence she'd long been craving. Hermione didn't care, she immediately kissed the taste off her tongue. Bella had her buttoned and fixed by the time Hermione's feet touched the ground again. She stumbled when Bella moved away.

"And I do believe we just gave Potter the show of a lifetime," That felt oddly satisfying. She threw an arm around her kitten's waist and helped steady herself.

"Oh, I forgot," Hermione laughed. She felt waaaay too good to care. "Draco was in there, too. And Severus."

Bella snorted. She could only imagine the look on her nephew's face right now and she was almost positive Snape wouldn't let her live this down. Did she care? No she did not. She felt better than ever.

"Lets not keep them waiting, shall we?"

-))*((-

"I am soooooooo hungry," Hermione sat outside the designated surgery room with her fingers interlaced with Bella's, as Draco refused to be anywhere near this god awful train wreck of a catastrophe. Hermione could only giggle at him, though. He was just mad because his magic was pink. "Why the hell didn't I eat this morning?"

"Focus, kitten," Bella stroked her thumb over Hermione's and the younger smiled. "When this is over I'll take you get something."

"Oooo, can you make tacos?" Hermione kicked her legs in and out. Bella made some mean ass tacos. "Or, no, now I don't want tacos… I want… Pizza instead. No, hmm.. Maybe chicken."

The older shook her head. "You can decide after you _focus_ and heal your father."

"Hey! I am focused," Hermione leaned against Bella with a pout. Bella would've kissed it off if she weren't so concerned at the moment. Hermione was acting strange as fuck, even for an orgasm high that really should've worn off about twenty minutes ago. "I can even see your magic right now. It's purple."

The older woman threw her a curious look. Jesus, she was worse than a kid jacked up on Twinkies and Mountain Dew.

"Oh my god," Hermione sighed with a gigantic smile. "I know what I want now. I want ice cream."

The doors to the auditorium opened and her nurse called out to them.

"Miss Granger, it's time."

Hermione laughed.

"Did you hear that, Bella? It's time!"

Okay, now Bella was really worried. They stood and Bella tilted her chin up. Her eyes were half lids, but then again they were always half lids when she did this.

"Kitten, are you alright?"

"Do you know how incredibly delicious you look right now?" Hermione stood on her tippy toes and rubbed their noses. Bella had her shades back on and Hermione could see herself reflected in the lens. "I could eat you like a sandwich."

"Kitten-"

"Hey, shhh," Hermione shoved a finger to her lips to silence her. "Stop worrying. I've picked up some ticks- I mean, tricks- while I was gone, okay? All thanks to Seveeeerruusssssssssssnape." She giggled and stepped towards the room. "His name sounds like a snake. Don't tell him I told you that, though. It's his code name I gave him since he runs Malfoy Mafia."

Bella cringed. There was no denying it, something was terribly, terribly wrong here. But Hermione was already in the room and the doors were closed. Nothing she could do now but watch.

She entered the room where Harry, Severus, and Draco were sitting on a single bench along the wall.

"Bellatrix," Harry spoke in recognition but he couldn't look at her, not when his face was still flushed because of what Severus reduced him to earlier.

"Potter," she acknowledged in return. She took a seat between Severus and Draco.

"You are disgusting," Draco whispered. "Absolutely disgusting and I hate you. If I didn't have to be a bloody witness for this shit I'd have left already."

"Aw, I've missed you too wittle Drakey- Wakey," Bella pinched his cheeks.

Harry snorted and filed 'Drakey-Wakey' for later use around the office.

They watched as Hermione entered the main area with the biggest shit-eating grin ever. She didn't move for a few moments and just stood there with the look of pure concentration counting the ceiling tiles.

Twenty four. There were twenty four tiles in the room. She actually counted them all.

Then she waltzed right to the mirror and looked like she was trying to peer into it.

"What the hell is she doing?" Harry asked.

"Beeellaaaaaaa," she called. "I finally figured out what kind of ice cream I want! I want an Alberta Ice Queen from Stuckey's!" Oh man, you don't understand. They have the best ice cream EVER! "With sprinkles!"

Oh, no. Bella stuck a palm to her face. Harry and Draco were looking at Bella with mixed expressions. Severus bit his lip to suppress his urge to laugh.

They watched as Hermione blew a breath on the glass and wrote in "Draco is a fairy princess" and drew a heart around it.

"What did you do to my kitten?" Bella growled just low enough for Snape to hear.

Severus flashed her a tiny blue vial from up his sleeve.

"Don't tell me that's-"

"Precisely," he drawled, equally as quiet. "Miss Granger has quite the potential, when she can stop that magnificent brain of hers from overthinking, that is."

Draco was still trying to figure out what the hell 'ssecnirp yriaf a si ocard" meant when Hermione danced as light as a feather over to her father.

She could see a ton of yellow energy stuck in his brain. They looked like tiny glow sticks. If she turned the lights off she could hold a rave. Dun tss dun tss dun tss dun tss. It sounded like a good idea until she stepped closer and felt the energy radiate with her wand.

"Vacuus Mens."

The first light flickered and vanished. She suddenly felt sad, but not because the light went away. She could feel a bit of herself in that energy, a bit of her sorrow. She easily released it and waved her wand again, collecting the next light, and so on. One by one her wand collected all of the lights, all of her pain, and then she released them. They fell like sand from the tip of her wand.

She sighed with contentment at how peaceful this moment felt. She knew exactly what to do next. Stuffing her wand in her pocket, she reached with both hands to massage his temples.

"Apertum Caligo."

Thin- like strands of magic surged from her fingertips and latched directly to his brain. She felt the first pulse and adjusted her magic levels to match.

"Why isn't she using her wand?" Harry asked. Without realizing it, all four had been entirely sucked into her performance.

"You don't need a wand to feel magic, Potter," Bella replied with satisfaction and a sense of pride at how well Hermione was handling it.

The pull pulsed once more and Hermione tightened the reigns. This time her own memories came playing forth in her mind like cinematic review. She watched with delight as memories from her childhood came spiraling forward and advanced to Hogwarts, and even beyond. Each emotion was overwhelming as it hit; but Hermione stayed calm, accepted them all, and then immediately let them go.

A few minutes later and the last memory rolled. She saw herself reflected in the room at St. Mungo's a few months ago. She felt so happy, she hadn't realized she'd been crying. The moment she released it, the spell was over.

Aaaaannnd then she fell to the floor.

-))*((-

 _"'Mione, please come back to us," Harry's frantic voice called out. "I don't know what happened but please don't die! I swear if Bellatrix did something strange to you, I'll-"_

 _WHAP._

 _"She's not dying you twit!"_  
 _-_  
 _"Lucius will you get in here and quit worrying about that goddamn bird?!"_

 _"My baby is missing and you don't even care, Cissa!" Lucius sounded like he'd been crying. "He was a member of this family!"_  
 _-_  
 _"How long have you been fucking my Aunt, Granger? That's sick," Draco sounded like he was going to puke. "You've wormed your disgusting little paws every which way into my family. I hate you so much."_  
 _…_  
 _"But you've got balls, I'll give you that."_

Something light and heavenly was stroking her cheek so tenderly. Hermione smiled and desperately sought that warmth in her slumber.

"Wake up, kitten," Bella stroked one final time and then slapped her twice.

"Unnnggg," without opening her eyes, Hermione stretched. She felt like she'd been hit by a bus. "Only if you kiss me."

She wasn't expecting her to actually do it.

"Tell anyone about this and I swear I will rip that stupid pony poster you like so much," Bella spoke from her lips.

"Hey! You leave Twilight Sparkle alone!" Hermione sat up fast. "Twilight is best pony!"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Have a good nap?"

"Ugh, what happened?" Hermione yawned and stretched. Then her eyes went big. "The spell! Did it work? My dad, is he-"

"I'm just fine, 'Mione," Johnathan Granger spoke for the first time in nearly eleven years from the bed next to hers.

"He's been calling for you all afternoon," Bella smiled. "Figured I'd help speed along the process."

"Dad..?" She jumped up and rushed to hug him with tears of joy. "Oh, I'm so happy you're alright! How are you feeling?"

"A little stiff," He rubbed his neck when she pulled away and got a good look at his daughter. Wow, did he suddenly feel old. "Bella told me I'd been under for a while."

Hermione flashed a confused look between the both of them. "You've already met?"

"I've been awake for a few hours, Bella stayed to keep me company until you woke," He smiled and took his daughter's hand. "And Narcissa, Lucius, Harry and Severus as well. You have such lovely friends, my wonderful daughter."

"I-I don't know what to say," Hermione glanced between her father and Bella. "Thank you."

Bella shook her head. Silly kitten, there was no need to thank her for that.

"Hermione," Johnathan called. "Bella's told me a little about what's happened."

"Dad, I'm so sorry," Hermione somberly shook her head. "All of this was my fault. I put you in here-"

"And it was you who got me out," he said while he clasped both hands around hers. "Don't you dare blame yourself. Not even for a minute."

"Oh, dad," She cried and wrapped him in her arms. "Dad, I'm so sorry!"

"You fought hard to bring me back. And I thank you, 'Mione," his voice caught in his throat. "I thank you so much for not giving up on me."

Bella was not crying, dammit. Her eyes just sprung a leak, that's all.

She slowly backed her way out to the hall to let them have their reunion in peace. Plus, all these emotions and shit man, she finally just stopped crying! She did not want to be a sobbing mess all over again!

But still, as she leaned in the doorway and watched Hermione bounce from tears to laughter she couldn't help but smile. Her kitten had come a long way, and she was so proud of her for it.

She didn't look up when she heard Harry approaching.

"Well well, Potter," Bella mumbled. "I'm ready. Do your worst."

"Bellatrix," Harry held up a rolled parchment tied with a red string. "I have here the warrant I issued for you twelve years ago when you so rudely barged into my office, threw your wand in my face, screamed 'Fuck you, Potter', and then proceeded to jump from an eighth- story window into oncoming traffic," Harry paused to shake his head with a wondrous look. "How you managed to survive is beyond me."

Bella snorted. Ahhh, good times.

"So you've decided to haul me to Azkaban, then?" Her eyes were still focused on Hermione who suddenly looked at her with a perplexed curiosity, smiled with a blush, and then looked back to her father. Bella had a decent idea of what was just said between the two of them.

"Perhaps," Harry, having watched the scene, shifted his weight on the balls of his feet. "Although, it has come to my attention that there is an alternative solution that could benefit us both."

Bella finally looked his way. He was smiling.

"What do you mean?" she eyed him cautiously and wondered what might be the 'catch' to this situation.

"Your profession in the Muggle world, I understand you are a doctor?" He got a good look at her robes.

"Yes," she furrowed her brows and turned to lean towards him. "What's that got to do with this?"

"There are not many of our kind listed in the Muggle field," He slowly paced with his hands formally crossed behind his back. "By having someone able to coordinate inpatient transfers from St. Mungo's to Cherish Hospital, and potentially other regional hospitals around the area," he smiled up at her, "It could drastically reduce the amount of rooms we keep filled with Muggle patients here at St. Mungo's who are no longer wards of our State."

He stopped his pacing and stepped closer to inspect the embroidery on her jacket as he spoke, "Now, 'Bellatrix Lestrange' may have a warrant out for her arrest," his eyes twinkled as their gazes locked, "But our records show nothing on file for ' _Sascha Black'_."

Bella caught a smirk from Severus at the lobby. She raised an eyebrow between the both of them.

"I like the way you think, Potter."

"I thought you would," he pulled from his robes another set of rolled parchment and held them for her to take. "Here are the papers, you can send them with Severus. Oh, and 'Sascha'?"

She took the stack and unrolled the contract, then glanced at Harry.

"Take good care of her, won't you?" he saluted while walking backwards towards the lobby where Severus was waiting for him.

Goddamn Gryffindors. Bella rolled her eyes but smiled all the same.

-))*((-

It was almost sunset when Bella was leaning on a pole a few feet from the entrance of the hospital smoking a cigarette while she waited for Hermione to finish up some excess paperwork with Potter. She checked her phone for the time and smiled at her new wallpaper, which was a picture of Narcissa licking Hermione's cheek and throwing bunny ears above her head while she was passed out earlier from being too stoned and exhausted. Narcissa insisted she go with a filter and typed in 'Thug Lyfe' as the caption. She missed when Hermione approached her with a smirk and a good eyeful of Bella booty in sight.

"Hey there, sexy lady," Hermione grabbed herself a helping and brought her closer. "Doesn't this seem familiar?"

Bella hummed her approval, really, Hermione was the only one she'd ever allow to freely grab her ass like that, and stroked her kitten's cheeks. Hermione inched closer just for a chaste kiss to the lips but Bella wanted a full taste. She chuckled when she pulled away and Hermione stayed put like a pet asking for a treat. Hermione retaliated by pulling her shades off and, despite Bella's glare, slid them on herself.

"They're mine now," she purred. Bella growled but she didn't take them back. They looked good on her.

"Come on, kitten," she put an arm around Hermione and led her through the parking lot. "Let's go home. I believe I owe you an Alberta Ice Queen with sprinkles."

Plus the fact that Narcissa slipped her a bottle of her 'special' potion and Bella was itching for an opportunity to use it in a setting that she wouldn't have to hold herself back when Hermione begged so urgently to be punished.

And, oh, how she would be punished.

"Mm," Hermione was still hungry as fuck. "Yes please."

"By the way, what the hell happened while you were at Cissy's?"

"Oh God, Bella," she threw a hand to her forehead. "It was awful. I became a slum lord midwife."

Bella laughed. From what Narcissa told her, that sounded about right.

After a while of walking, Hermione glanced around and asked, "Are we not Apparating?"

"Nope," Bella flicked her bud on the ground. "Got something new for that."

Parked by a bush in the farthest corner was a slick blue motorcycle with black stripes painted on it. Hermione rolled her eyes at how predictable she could be in color choice.

"Since when did you get a motorcycle?!"

Bella shrugged. She put the helmet on Hermione and adjusted the straps.

"We're really riding on this?" she wasn't scared, just slightly nervous. Bikes and Bellas were already dangerous before, put them together and its like a recipe for death.

"Hop on, kitten," Bella was already straddled and ready.

"Bella," Hermione walked around to inspect their newest mode of transport. "I've never ridden one before."

Probably shouldn't have said that, Granger. Bella broke out in the biggest smirk she'd ever seen her wear. Jesus Christ, _now_ she was scared.

"Just hold on real tight," the older looked her up and down and without her shades Hermione could see exactly where her gaze lingered. "I'll be gentle, promise."

Oh, God. That knot deep inside was back with a vengeance. Hermione felt the need to squirm.

She nervously climbed the back and grabbed Bella's waist. When the engine revved and Hermione felt it purr, she gasped and hid her sudden blush on Bella's shoulder.

"Like that, do you?"

No, it only felt like an oversized vibrator humming up her thighs. Hermione bit her lip and nodded.

"Good," Bella pulled her chin up. "Because tonight I'm fucking you on it."

"Yeah, right," Hermione laughed. "How the hell are you going to manage that?" They didn't exactly have a garage or living space suitable for a bike to be stored in privacy.

But then Bella nicked her bottom lip like she always does when she's _hungry_ , and raised her eyebrow in that same 'try me' expression and oh man, Hermione's face got red as fuck.

"Bella!" She hissed. "You can't be serious! We have _neighbors_ , t-they'll see- they'll _hear_!"

An unmistakable glint of mischief revealed itself in Bella's gaze. She revved the engine again and Hermione groaned.

"Never stopped me before," she muttered from her lips. "And it didn't stop you today, either."

Hermione tucked her embarrassment back safely behind her shoulder and held on tightly as Bella whipped them out of the lot and out of sight.


	13. Epilogue- Happy Endings

_A/N:_ Welp, here we are. The end of the road. Believe it or not, this is the first multi-chap fic I've managed to fully complete and post from start to finish. And, well, its also my favorite. So thanks to all the faves, follows, and reviews. You guys rock :)

Also, if you liked this story enough to want a sequel, I've got two one-shots planned under this same universe that I do plan on posting, eventually; one of which will be Cissy/Mione/Bella, so watch out for that ;) May take some time for me to actually get around to it since I've becomed obsessed with my other story, Rapture, at the moment. So what I've decided is to make this into a series when I get the sequels up and going. I may have other little snippets to contribute as well.

And, gushing over. If you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed the ride and I also hope you caught all the 'loopholes' of the series I managed to weave into play. So enjoy the last bit of fluff and once again, thanks for reading :)

 _-))*((-_

 _Loopholes Epilogue_

 _Happy Endings_

-))*((-

"Mmm, what is that wonderful smell?"

Johnathan "Toucan Sam" Granger, like any other man before him, followed his nose straight to the kitchen where Bella was currently busy cooking her damn ass off.

"Bella's making rolls," Hermione caught a good whiff from behind the paper that hid her face. "Try one. They're.. They're like.. Little puffs of buttery heaven, all in a bun."

Johnathan pursed his lips. Now, he'd consumed many things in his life worthy of high praise, this was true; but he failed to see how just a plain ol' dinner roll could be compared to anything from the good Lord above.

"Good gracious, Hermione," he peered over her shoulder at the odd words in bold print, ' **Reform or BUST: New Laws Take Effect**.' "Did that picture just _move_?"

Hermione swat him gently with said moving pictures. "I've _told_ you, our newspaper is different from yours!"

Bella chuckled and simply shook her head as she set yet another festive display tray on the table that held all sorts of appetizing goodies in row for the evening's festivities. Johnathan eyed that plate like a hawk.

"Holy Mother of Mary," he spoke from around his first taste of what he could only describe as sweet little baby Jesus himself descending from the heavens and pouring infinite blessings over his taste buds one by one. "Marvelous. Absolutely divine. Bella, I must have the recipe."

"No can do," Bella replied from the stove. Her back was turned from them but she had a wide grin on her face. "It's a secret family recipe, I'm afraid."

Hermione rolled her eyes. What the hell was a 'secret family recipe' good for if you couldn't share it with other family?!

"Aw, that's too bad," Johnathan replied and snuck two more despite Hermione persistently slapping his greedy hands away with a glare. "It's always the best ones, too. Ah well, all the same. I think its about time I got going, got a few more stops to make before I settle in!"

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" Bella asked. She wasn't sure how the man would deal with Narcissa and the rest of her crazy family; but if he wanted to stay she certainly had no objections about it. "I've got plenty to go around."

"Oh, no, that's alright." He turned to Hermione with a warm smile. "You know how your Gram gets around this time."

Hermione smiled back. She would have loved for him to stick around but she understood his need for normalcy to settle in with the traditional Holiday customs their family observed. Ten years was a long time to be away from it all.

"Come on," she stood and grabbed his arm. "I'll walk you out."

"Quite alright, love," he spoke when they reached the front door and kissed her forehead with much appreciation for his caring daughter. "I can make it from here. Happy Christmas, darling."

"Happy Christmas, dad," Hermione pulled him into one last embrace.

"Bella," he called as he dressed his coat and scarf. "Happy Christmas, love."

Bella waved her goodbye from behind her back. Hermione leaned against the snowy doorway and watched him drive away until the car was well out of sight.

"He is such a sweetheart," the older said once Hermione rejoined her. "Now I see where you get your _overbearingly_ sweet sense of innocence from."

Hermione, roll half stuffed in her mouth, smiled and propped herself up on the counter.

"I hope you made more of these," the younger said around her mouth full. "There's only two left."

"I'm well aware how fast they seem to magically disappear," Bella puffed her chest in a pride greater than a hippogriff with a nice dead ferret. "Those were made especially for you, kitten."

"Aww, I'm touched," Hermione mocked and placed a hand over her heart. "So, why can't you share the recipe again?"

"Because there's an ingredient he wouldn't be able to use," Bella replied matter- of- factly and checked the turkey in the oven.

"And that would be….?"

A wicked smirk graced the older's lips as she motioned for her kitten to come closer. Hermione cocked an eyebrow but jumped off the counter, her hands impatiently resting on her hips. Bella shook her head and motioned for her to come _closer_ , it _was_ a secret after all; to which Hermione threw her head back and gave a defiant sigh. They were already side to side, Hermione couldn't get any closer than that.

"Unless you want me _in_ you, I can't possibly step any closer than I already am," she smiled as her mischievous lover wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her.

"Magic," Bella spoke from her lips.

"Magic?" Hermione's eye twitched. "The secret ingredient is magic?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Bella I've watched you make them from scratch. _Several times,_ " the younger pushed out of her arms and gave her a skeptical glare. "You never use magic to cook!"

"No, not _magic_ magic," the older grabbed her back by the ass. Hermione resisted but gave in with a giggle when the older insistently squeezed. " _Bella_ magic."

"Oh, my God," Hermione laughed. "I'm in love with a narcissist."

"Mm, no, that would be my sister," Bella cringed at the thought of Narcissa's abominable fashion sense and the need to "make a statement". "It _is_ her namesake, after all."

Hermione's reply was cut short when a rustling noise came from upstairs.

"What was that?"

"Hey! I heard that," Narcissa Malfoy descended the staircase in debonair beauty as she tossed her blonde locks from side to side. "You two were talking about me, weren't you?"

"What the hell are you doing up there? And what the fuck are you wearing in my house?" Bella walked to the living room with a spatula in one hand and a knife in the other. Hermione could only gape at the woman.

But in all forces of reality, she should have been prepared.

You could see nothing but obnoxiously bright red lights before you could actually see the woman herself. The rest of it was green, at least Hermione _thought_ it was green, and after some squinting she realized it was a sweater, one that was a tad too big for the woman's delicate frame and so it hung like a dress. Knitted on the fabric in white and outlined by glowing red lights was what Hermione now recognized as a reindeer. Underneath were plain black spandex and she wore matching red and white heels decorated with tiny felt candy canes. And the pièce de rèsistance, a plain little Santa hat tilted to the side. She made her grand entrance smirking like silk accompanied by a glass of alcohol and a box.

"Just put your _Christmas present_ in your room for later, of course," Narcissa winked at Hermione, who blushed. Jesus Christ, don't wink your sexual innuendoes at her! Wink at the one who can handle it! "And this-" she tugged her sweater and stared with delight as the lights began to blink. "-Is what I believe the Muggles call a 'Christmas Sweater'."

"Well take it off, will ya?" Bella shuffled back to the kitchen with a groan. "I won't have you _blinking_ at my dinner table like some fucking pixie strung out on meth."

Narcissa completely ignored her sister and whimsically waltzed from the stairs to Hermione. She handed the long rectangular box to the poor girl, who was still staring completely dumbstruck, and kissed her cheek. "Got one for you, too, love."

"Narcissa, welcome," Hermione furrowed her brow at the box. Honestly, what the hell was she supposed to do with this?! "Is Lucius not with you?"

"Should be here soon, he's getting the egg nog ready," she flashed Hermione a saucy look and swirled her own glass. Bella made a sound that was close to somebody trying to summon Satan.

"What's crawled up your ass?" Narcissa leaned over the counter and snuck a piece of chocolate from one of the plates on the table.

"She hates egg nog ever since I beat her at a challenge last year," Hermione smirked as she remembered the sweet, sweet taste of victory.

"Oh, how dreadful," Narcissa bumped their shoulders together as Hermione joined her. "Do tell."

"Three gallons was all it took to get her sick."

"You're a monster," Bella clutched her stomach. Just thinking about it made her want to puke. "No more talk of egg nog."

"Well it is 'special' tonight, but I think we can alter the recipe a bit," Narcissa eyed her sister's abandoned beverage as the glass was starting to sweat. Despicable. She immediately grabbed the bottle of spiced rum and poured a fresh mix, heavy on the alcohol, and dropped in a little dash of her special potion from the secret bottle tucked up her sleeve.

"And, hello, what do we have cooking in here?" Narcissa purred while handing the glass to Bella.

"Mmm," Bella nearly downed the drink in one go. "Turkey will be ready soon."

"No, I meant this," Narcissa stalked right up behind an unsuspecting Hermione, who was setting aside trays to make room for more food, and got a good handful of Granger Danger in her grasp. "Has your ass gotten bigger since last time? Bella's been taking good care of you, I see?"

"Bella!" Hermione yelped and tried to jump from the woman but Narcissa had her tight. "Your sister is touching me again! Help!"

"Aww, my poor little kitten," Bella turned with her arms opened wide. "Come here."

Embarrassment high on her cheeks, Hermione rushed into her embrace. She completely missed when Bella motioned for Narcissa to join her from behind her back.

"Honestly, Cissy," Bella's tone was reprimanding but the look the sisters shared was anything but. "If you're going cop a feel, do it right."

"Nooo," Hermione whined as she felt two sets of firm hands kneading her like play- doh. "You two are _impossible_."

"Mm, you're right, Bella," Narcissa's moan came from the corner of Hermione's neck and Hermione flushed brighter than a shooting star. "This is better."

Another loud bumping noise came from upstairs and Hermione huffed in irritation. Didn't anyone in this family know how to use a goddamn door?!

"What now?!"

"Sounds like the boys are here," Narcissa wrapped her arms around Hermione in a backwards embrace as Bella broke away to tend to the stove. "Shall we go say hi? Get a little peek at what they're up to, perhaps?"

"Ugh, no!" Hermione shrugged out of the flirtatious grip and Narcissa laughed. The noises grew louder and rougher like a stampede of water buffalo. Hermione was so done. There was only one bedroom up there, _her_ bedroom, the one she shared with her lover. She was NOT about to think of her best friend and Severus Goddamn Snape fucking like wild zebra all over their bed. "We are getting new sheets, Bella!"

"Oh, you won't have to worry about the sheets honey," Narcissa leaned against the counter with a satisfying expression. Hermione threw her a look of pure confusion. Before she could ask, however, Lucius Apparated in the living room with a giant bowl of egg nog and arms stuffed to the rim with elegant shopping bags.

"Slow as shit, Santa," Narcissa, who was slightly more intoxicated than she was ready to admit, hurled the bowl away from him and immediately replenished her empty glass.

"A 'thank you' for carrying all the gifts would be nice!" Lucius hissed. He stumbled his way over to the tree Hermione and Bella'd picked and decorated together earlier in the month, and set the presents down in the grumpiest of huffs.

"Someone didn't get his nap today," Bella taunted in a sing song voice when Lucius entered the kitchen.

"I swear to God," Lucius shut his eyes tight and held out a hand. "I'm going to count to ten. If there isn't something strong enough in my hands by then-"

Something cold was deposited and so he drank.

"Mm," he opened his eyes with a nod. "You always did have good taste, Bella."

"And what about me?" Narcissa slouched across her husband. "I might take offense depending on how you answer."

" _You_ ," he growled as he took hold of her wrists and pulled her closer. She gasped with a dainty, 'Oh!' as his strong arms steadied her by the hips. "Are absolutely _begging_ for a punishment."

"Then punish me, big boy," Narcissa moaned in her finest seduction.

"You naughty, naughty reindeer," Lucius claimed her with a possessive kiss.

"Out!" Bella shoo'd them with a rag. If she didn't stop them now she knew Santa would be ' _cumin_ ' to town alright. She managed to smack Cissy's ass but Lucius skillfully dodged her wrath. "Out of my kitchen, both of you! Disgusting swine!"

More wild buffalo sounds could be heard from upstairs, along with… Moving furniture? Really, guys? Hermione took a deep breath. From where she stood giving her full concentration to enchanting candles in the living room, the young witch wasn't sure what was going on elsewhere; but she knew that tone of her lover's voice meant that Bella was irritated as fuck. She didn't blame her.

She watched as Lucius begrudgingly lead Narcissa, who was snickering like a hyena, from the kitchen. Hermione decided to try and cheer her grouchy lover up. It was Christmas! No need to be a Grinch! She placed a warm hand up Bella's back in a soothing stroke.

"I think I liked it better when it was _quiet_ around this time," Bella sighed and felt herself relax as Hermione arm's found perch around her waist.

"Don't worry," Hermione breathed in that low, sensual tone that was reserved only for Bella. "I'll make it up to you tonight."

"Damn right, you will," Bella turned to capture those lips in a heated kiss that left them both moaning for more. She stroked her kitten's cheek as Hermione pulled away. Hermione backed out of the kitchen with that look that said 'come and get me.'

Despite her husband's best efforts, Narcissa had not wandered too far from the vicinity, nor did she miss this little encounter between her sister and her _kitten_. Bella saw that look in her eye.

"What do you want, Cissy?"

Narcissa innocently sashayed like a merry little devil and leaned over her sister's shoulder. "Have you told her about us yet?"

"No," Bella replied and snuck an arm around her waist. "And I hadn't planned on it."

"Why not," Cissy's whine was mumbled from the crook of her neck with a pout that made the older smirk. She shivered when she felt Bella hook her fingers under the cotton to slide along her thigh. "Afraid your little kitten might take a new mommy?"

"No, actually. I'm not."

Cissy narrowed her eyes, hands splayed over the older woman's chest. She whispered with a quick nibble to the rim of Bella's ear, "Then why don't you do it, chicken?"

Before Cissy could say another word, Bella lifted the offensive sweater by the hem and almost had it full swing before Narcissa stepped back and stopped her from sliding it off.

"Dammit, Bella, you fucking snake!" Narcissa was in full fight mode to stop Bella from ripping it. "Leave- Rudolph- alone! He- didn't- hurt- you!"

"I told you I wasn't going to let you wear this abomination at my table!" Bella threw a leg over Narcissa to keep her in place while she fumbled to release the woman's death grip.

"Its mine! You can't have it!" Narcissa had one hand locked on poor Rudolph's nose and the other mashed in her sister's face.

"I don't _want_ it, I want _you_ to take it _off_!"

"No!"

"I said _take it off_!"

" _And I said no_!"

"Bella! Stop patronizing your sister!" Hermione yelled from the dining room. Lucius was so used to it he was oblivious. Plus, he was now on his third drink and was feeling preeettty damn good right about now. "If she wants to be a flashing reindeer, let her! She can't help who she is, she's just special like that!"

A maliciously satisfying grin burst from ear to ear as Narcissa straightened herself in victory. "Hear that? _I'm special_!"

Bella glared daggers that could kill an elf.

The oven buzzed and Hermione rushed in to finish gathering their dinner, which effectively silenced any rebuttals Bella might have had but not before she mouthed a very profound 'fuck you' to her little sister and watched as Narcissa spread her arms out and mouthed right back 'anytime you want.'

"I've got the rest of the turkey, so can you maybe, um," Hermione hesitated with a shy blush on her cheeks. "Can you get Severus and Harry? I- I don't think I have it in me."

"Boys! Dinner's ready!" Bella marched to the foot of the staircase and shouted, "Do _not_ make me come up there!"

The commotion came to a frenzy before all was silent. The door quickly opened and slammed, followed by two sets of rushed footsteps down the steps. Harry emerged first, hair messier than usual, glasses crooked, shirt buttons out of place, and belt barely buckled. Severus appeared from behind looking no less than flawless. Harry scowled as the man passed him with a subtle smirk and no other hint as to what they were just up to.

How the hell does he do that?

"Did you boys have _fun_?" Narcissa asked with a cheshire grin from what Hermione was sure was her third glass of egg nog since arriving. Cissy handed each one their own glass and looked Harry over with fondness.

"Food now, talk later," Bella growled and took her spot at the table. When Narcissa tried to sit next to her, Bella immediately pushed her overboard. "Fuck off, I am not sitting next to you."

"Bellaaaaa!"

"Nope."

"Hermione, Bella's being mean again!"

" _Honestly_!" Hermione hissed as she finally took a seat on the other side of her lover. "You two are worse than children!"

"This is definitely not how I expected to spend my Christmas," Harry said as he nervously glanced at the smiling faces stuffing their plates high with food. "But I'm glad to be here. Thanks for the invite, Bella."

"Yeah, yeah," Bella rolled her eyes with a smirk. The brat was unaware that his payment for attending was already being payed, thanks to Snape. "Just do me a favor and _drink up,_ Potter. You too, kitten."

At that, Hermione realized she was the only one without a drink. She needed to quickly catch up.

"My word, Bella, you've outdone yourself," Lucius spoke with a moan so nefarious that Narcissa had to kick him from under the table. What, it wasn't his fault the woman was such a good cook!

"You like that, do you?" Uh oh. Hermione knew that tone well. She looked up and, yep, Bella had that glint in her eyes again.

"It's exquisite."

"And do you have any idea what you are eating that is so… _Exquisite_?"

He shook his head in confusion, "You didn't say-"

"My dear Lucius," Bella smiled devilishly. "What you taste there is the finest specimen of _baked peacock_ this side of London."

Lucius nearly fainted.

-))*((-

Hermione casually leaned in the kitchen doorway content with watching their guests all comfortably sprawled around each other on the loving room sofa. Sometime after dinner was finished and presents were opened, the topic of Christmas movies was thrown out and Hermione insisted the first one should be _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ , for obvious reasons. Narcissa, however, thought the idea was a little boring and so proposed a game to liven the entertainment. She placed her Santa hat on the edge of the T.V. screen and each time a character from the movie was positioned just so that they wore the hat, everyone in the room had to take a shot.

… Let's just say Harry was currently shit faced in a room full of Slytherins who now had every bit of juicy dirt they could ever want from the boy. Severus could write an entire encyclopedia of naughty fetishes and fantasies, every single wet dream he'd ever had, plus a detailed lexicon of his next ten or so "accidental" fucking sessions planned to a 'T'.

Hermione almost felt bad for him. Almost.

"Everything okay, kitten?" Warm, inviting arms wrapped themselves around her waist and Hermione instinctively relaxed into her lover's embrace.

"It's perfect, Bella. Couldn't be better," She turned to give her woman a proper look. "Your family is just perfect. I'm so happy."

"Eh, they're alright." Bella shrugged. "You do realize these nuts belong to you now?"

The small smile that splayed her lips broke out into a full grin and Hermione buried her face into the warmth of Bella's shoulder.

"Thank you."

The older woman shook her head with a snort, "Don't thank me, you can have them."

A few seconds of serendipity passed between the two before Bella inevitably succumbed to the seeds of mischief.

"Mmm, I've got an idea."

"Hmm?" Hermione was too comfortable to move and would have preferred to stay exactly as they were.

"What do you say we sneak upstairs and find out what sorts of goodies Cissy left us?"

"Wait, what?" The younger lifted herself to stare into those sparkling eyes she loved so much, "Now? While everyone's still here?"

"My house," Bella pulled her closer by the ass, "My rules, kitten."

Hermione rolled her eyes in full protest. Nope, nuh-uh, no way she was going to let that stupid silly rule slide any further.

"Don't you think it's about time we revised that a little bit? It's now _our_ house, and I'd like a say in what floats or sinks in _our_ bedroom."

"I'd be up for a possible discussion," Bella feigned a look of decency, "If you went upstairs with me right now."

"Belllaaa," Hermione hissed as the older bent to kiss her neck, "You aren't exactly quiet, you know!"

Bella pulled away for a moment in deep thought as a serious expression formed on her lips.

"Kitten, can I tell you a secret?"

Hermione sneered at the woman. "You're just full of them today, aren't you?"

Of course she was, she still had a few tricks up her sleeve that Hermione was slowly uncovering one by one. The only obstacle was how willing Bella was to share them all.

Truth be told, Hermione liked it this way.

Bella plucked a fallen curl and tucked it gently behind her kitten's ear as she leaned close to whisper her secretest secret yet.

"I've fucked three out of the four people sitting in our living room right now, and I can guarantee you Potter is not one of them. They already know exactly how loud I can be."

"You've _what_?!" Hermione rasped. "Severus? _Lucius_?!"

"Mmmhmm," Bella enjoyed the looks she was thrown as each revelation hit. "Even both at the same time."

"No, no, that's… Wait, _your sister_?!"

"Mmm, trust me," Bella's eyes flashed with devilish glee. "She's the worst of us all, the little freak."

"Bella, that's incest! That's-"

Bella cut her off with a kiss. It was her favorite way to preoccupy- read 'distract'- her kitten.

"And you being mommy's little kitten isn't?" She stroked her cheek, warmth radiating in waves, and watched her eyes flutter in response.

"No, that's.." Hermione sucked in a sharp breath as Bella placed open kisses up her neck, over one particular lingering mark that suddenly had Hermione reduced to panting, "Oh- That's… Completely… Different."

Mm, Bella knew this game well, knew exactly how to play Hermione's body in all the right ways. She let her hands take their time in exploring all over her young beauty before they settled at her hips. With seduction high on her side, she licked a trail close to her ear and whispered, "Is it?"

"O-Oh, oh my..."

"Come along, kitten," Bella kept her voice low in her ear and coaxed her hips into a sway. As she predicted, Hermione nearly melted on the spot. "Mommy has a special Christmas gift saved just for you."

And, just like that, she was gone from Hermione's side, leaving the poor girl squirming and practically stumbling where she stood. Hermione watched as she backed her way through the living room, completely undetected by their guests who were too involved in their own world. She ascended the staircase motioning for Hermione to follow, her eyes silently luring the girl like a Siren as she dipped out of sight.

Oh, fuck it all to heck. There was no way Hermione could resist a look so _delicious_. She stood in the doorway bouncing from side to side like a bumbling idiot, trying to think of something, _anything_ , to make her ignore the damn temptress and join the others.

Two seconds was all it took. Two seconds of not one single reason to stay, two seconds of tip-toeing through the living room, and two seconds of skipping up the stairs two at a time to meet one dark eyed seductress leaning against the bedroom door with a smirk.

"You're evil," Hermione whispered as Bella shoved her back against the door with a loud 'thud' and kissed her senseless, palms already prying her shaking thighs apart. "Absolutely evil, and I love you so much."

"D'you 'ear that?" Harry slurred from downstairs. He was currently laying on his back, his head in Snape's lap with a few buttons of his shirt undone and a very tempting hand rubbing his chest, while Narcissa mirrored his position with Lucius on the floor.

"Sounds like my sister and her kitten made their way upstairs," Narcissa turned her gaze to Lucius, who was already staring down at his beautiful wife. The look they shared told her he was more than ready to deliver the harshest punishment she'd ever have the pleasure of receiving.

"Still don' believe Bella ac'shually calls 'er 'kitten'," Harry laughed and then hummed as Severus ran his fingers across a nipple. "Thenn'aginn, I still can' 'lieve alllla plac's you've shov'd your cockuup my arse, ethher."

"Mmm," Narcissa chimed from below, eyes still locked with her husband's. "Scandalous."

"Narcissa," Severus piqued an interest, "By any chance, are you the originator of the 'surprise' in the upstairs bedroom?"

"Mmm? I wonder," the devious blonde hummed. "How did you guess?"

At the mention of 'surprise,' Harry sat straight up.

"Noooo."

"We'll be leaving," Severus stood and yanked Harry to his feet. The next second they were gone without another word.

Lucius, clearly out of the loop, gave Narcissa a confused look. "What the hell did you get them?"

"Something good," Cissy sat upright and brought her husband in so she could tease his lips with her own. He gave in to her demand with a low rumble from deep within his chest. She happily wrapped her arms around his neck. "But for now, let's let them enjoy it."

And with that, the Malfoy's took their leave to enjoy a little holly jolly _private_ merriment of their own.

Upstairs, Bella was torn between taking her kitten right here in the hallway and moving this party to between the sheets. Any problems Hermione may have had were effectively squashed, if by any hint to the way her quivering legs pliantly wrapped themselves around Bella's waist like they belonged.

But, no; it was when Hermione moaned her name like the silkiest thread of honey that Bella decided her kitten deserved better than this. She turned the latch and skillfully maneuvered them through the darkness until the bed met her touch and dumped her golden beauty straight onto-

Hermione screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS FUCKING BIRD DOING IN OUR BEDROOM?!"

'Goddamn Peacock' ruffled his feathers and let loose his mighty rage. Bella ran to get the lights when she felt him mercilessly peck at her legs. They ungracefully danced around each other until he finally ducked past her and into the hallway.

Through the commotion, Hermione managed to come in contact with something hard stuffed under her pillow. She pulled the curious item from its hiding spot and immediately flushed.

"DAMMIT, CISSY!" Bella roared from the doorway like a madwoman trapped in a cage. Hermione chuckled, unboxed her real gift, and quickly stood to intervene Bella's obvious killing spree.

"Bella," Hermione's voice drizzled with lust and Bella turned to see what she wanted. Despite her shyness, the younger managed to stand in what she hoped was a sexy pose and held up their present for her lover to see. In her hands was a bullet vibrator equipped with fresh batteries and a remote with three settings: _slow, sensual,_ and _sensational_.

Her timid aura grew bolder as Bella, whose anger demolished in the blink of an eye, looked her up and down like the best treacle tart she'd ever seen. Hermione slowly stalked across the room until they were skin to skin, wrapped her arms around Bella's neck, and whispered, "Kitten wants to play with her new toy."

Bella immediately slammed the door shut and pounced her way to the best damn Christmas sex she could have asked for.


End file.
